Dark Past, Bright Future: Revenge of the Fallen
by ShurtugalSkulblaka
Summary: (sequel to Dark Past, Bright Future) After defeating evil Decepticons and saving the world, going back to a normal life just doesn't seem like an option for Rachel, she can only stay away for so long. Before she knows it she is dragged back into the world of the Transformers, into a struggle to defeat evil once more. It sure isn't normal, but Rachel wouldn't have it any other way.
1. Chapter 1

**So apparently either this story got deleted or I just never uploaded it. If I didn't upload I think I'm going crazy...Anyway if you didn't already read this here it is,**** I give you...Chapter 1 of DP,BF: ROTF just an early Christmas(or holiday) present for my fans. Jk, I was bored. So, I did forget one thing -before I let you start- you will soon learn I made a one-sentence typo in the first DP,BF you will know if you compare this chapter and first chapter of the last one. For those who are wondering about Rachel's past I will quench your thirst in this chapter. So, without further ado I give you...Chapter 1...**

**Chapter 1**

"I will destroy your life -your family and friends- if you do not help me, _girl_."

Rachel looked up at the Decepticon, her eyes filled with tears.

"Tell me where your Autobot _friends_ are and I'll spare you your friends and family," the Decepticon said.

Rachel said the name of the Autobots' hide out, but it was barely audible. The Decepticon heard though and transformed back into a jet, flying away. Rachel couldn't believe what she'd just done, she'd given away the Autobots -her friends- and for what? They had saved her life and this is how she repaid them?She felt worse than horrible. She ran, ran home to tell her parents what was going on. As she came close to her house she stopped in her tracks. Where her house once stood a pile of burning wood and ash was all that remained. Rachel's jaw dropped. Her eyes fell on the driveway and her heart sank.

"No, no, no, no, no," she repeated over and over.

Two cars were parked there, which meant her parents had been home, and now they were dead. Rachel covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees. An engine roused her from thought, she looked up to see the familiar black Tahoe.

"Ironhide," she sobbed, "They're going after the Autobots and it's all my fault."

"Rachel?" the voice jolted Rachel from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" her teacher asked.

Rachel wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine, just going to miss everyone," Rachel lied.

_Last day of High School, try and keep it together,_ Rachel thought.

Luckily her class-mates had not seen her. Today was easy, last period for chemistry all they were doing was throwing an end-of-the-year party. That was one of the reasons her chemistry teacher, Mrs. Bahalo, was her favorite. She really didn't take the last day of school as a big deal.

_Just have fun,_ Rachel thought.

For the rest of class Rachel talked with Mrs. Bahalo about college. The rest of the class thought Rachel was odd and wouldn't talk with her. Rachel looked over to the picture showing the solar system and surrounding galaxies.

_Ha, they forgot Cybertron,_ Rachel thought.

When the final bell rang, Rachel stopped in front of Mrs. Bahalo's desk.

"I'm really going to miss having you in my class," Mrs. Bahalo said.

"I'm going to miss _being_ in your class, I'm sure collage professors are very strict and not at all like this class," Rachel said.

"Just remember, don't lose yourself in college, many kids do. Why am I telling you this? You aren't like that, Rachel, you are a wonderful student and woman, remember that. No matter what life brings you, stay true to yourself, there is always hope," her teacher said.

Rachel smiled.

Mrs. Bahalo chuckled, "I sound like a fortune cookie, don't I? Well, get going, enjoy your freedom, go on."

Rachel laughed, "Thank you, I needed that, and, no, you don't sound like a fortune cookie."

"Good-bye, Rachel," Mrs. Bahalo said.

"Bye," Rachel called waving as she walked away.

As Rachel drove home, she remembered that horrible night. She felt so stupid.

_Why did I trust him? I should have known Decepticons wouldn't keep their word._

Rachel shook her head as if shaking away the thought and went back to concentrating on the road. When she got home she threw her backpack on the couch. She walked into her room and flopped down on her bed with a sigh. Her little Pug puppy walked up to her bedside.

"Hey, Mo," Rachel crooned picking up the puppy.

"Mochie, Mo," Rachel said playfully petting the soft puppy.

He'd been given to her by a friend who said she needed a little optimism in her life, and that the puppy could make anyone smile. Rachel smiled at the little puppy, rubbing his velvety, black ears.

Her phone starting ringing.

"Be right back, Mo," Rachel called to the puppy as she ran to the kitchen.

"Hallows," Rachel answered.

"_Rachel, it's Will, Will Lennox," _came Lennox's voice over the line.

"Lennox!" Rachel exclaimed excitedly. "What's up?"

Lennox laughed, "_Listen, I was wondering if you would be interested in a job..._"

"What kind of job?" Rachel asked.

"_Well, it involves working with our friends I can't mention on an open phone line..._"

"Oh, Lennox, you don't know me at all," Rachel teased, "this line has been secure for years."

"_Good, that makes what I'm about to say a lot easier,_" Lennox said.

"Okay."

"_The government has created a Special Ops team called NEST. As of right now I'm leading the soldiers involved. We work with the Autobots to find and take out Decepticons hiding around the world. I was wondering if you wanted to join on as a tech annalist since we know you are good with technology, but I understand if..."_

"I'd be glad to Lennox, more than glad.I can finally put my years of hacking to good use."

Lennox went silent.

"Lennox?"

"Hacking?"

Rachel laughed, "It was just a few times for school, nothing serious."

She and Lennox talked for a while, catching up on events Rachel had missed.

"_Yeah, I'm glad you accepted because Ironhide keeps asking me every minute 'How's Rachel?' or 'Have you heard from Rachel?_'" Lennox said.

Rachel laughed, "He'll do that to you."

Lennox lowered his voice, _"He's getting kind of annoying."_

"_I heard that!"_

Rachel smiled as she heard the Autobot's voice in the background.

Lennox ignored Ironhide, "_Is it okay if you came today? Just to see what you're getting yourself into?"_

"Sure."

"_I'd come get you myself, but I have...things to do. So, I'll send someone I trust to come get you, maybe Epps or-"_

"_I'm getting her," _came Ironhide's voice.

"_Ironhide, you can't leave base," _Lennox said.

"_Oh? And you're going to stop me?"_

"Lennox?" Rachel said.

"_Yeah?"_

"You holding the phone near your ear?"

"_Yeah, why?"_

"Hold it away, preferably toward Ironhide," Rachel said.

"_Okay."_

Rachel waited a few seconds.

"IRONHIDE, STOP PESTERING LENNOX!"Rachel yelled into the phone.

"_Whoa,"_ Ironhide said. "_I'm still going to get her."_

Rachel heard clicking, like transforming, and then the roar of an engine.

"_Ironhide!" _Lennox called. "_Ironhide, you can't leave b... Ironhide!"_

"Sorry, Lennox," Rachel apologized.

"_Ah, it's fine, it's not your fault. I've got to go now, but I'm sure Ironhide will be there soon...if he doesn't get caught by the cops. Bye, Rachel, I'll see you later."_

"Bye, Lennox, and thanks again," Rachel said.

The line went dead. Rachel hung the phone up and went back to her room. Mochie licked her hand when she sat on the bed.

"Oh, boy, I'm so sorry. I'm gonna have to let Sarah keep you for a while while I'm gone for a bit, Mo."

Just as Rachel was walking back to her house after dropping off Mochie at her neighbor's the familiar black Topkick pulled in her driveway. Rachel ran into the house.

"I'll be down in a minute!" she called.

She grabbed her car keys -which she wouldn't need- and her purse. As she was locking the door the Topkick pulled up closer.

"I'm coming, Ironhide! Off the grass!" she said in mock-anger.

Then she realized her words.

"Oh, God, sound like Mr. Witwicky. Fine, I'm coming, I'm coming."

Rachel locked the door and hopped in the driver's seat, pulling the door closed.

"Alright, go, geez," Rachel said.

Rachel threw her stuff in the passenger seat. Her mind wandered as they drove. After the downtown battle in Mission City Rachel had met Sam's parents -formally- and spent some time at Sam's spending time with Sam and Mikaela trying to move past the nightmares that haunted them all. Rachel started out the window, absentmindedly watching the scenery go by. She felt safe in Ironhide's company, no matter what might happen.

They pulled into a military base in the middle of the ocean -on an island- a few hours later. Security had just let them through, seeing the black Topkick with the Autobot symbol on the tailgate. Rachel hopped out of the truck and patted Ironhide on the hood.

"Hey! How's it going?" Rachel said as Epps walked up, they grasped hands.

"Good, you?" Epps said meeting her gesture and then letting go.

"Fine. Finally finished High School," Rachel said.

Epps laughed, "And already got yourself a job? You're doin' better than any other kid out there."

Rachel smiled, "Only because I have a few...friends," she said hitting Ironhide on the hood.

He started to transform.

"Uh-oh, I'm in trouble now," Rachel said sarcastically.

Ironhide thrust his cannons at Rachel.

"You wouldn't shoot me," Rachel mocked.

"Wanna bet?"

"Yeah."

They had a stare-down for a few minutes.

"Fine, you win," Ironhide said defeated, putting his guns away.

Rachel turned after she felt warm air from an engine behind her, she saw red and blue and then it started to shift.

"Oh, you're in trouble now," Rachel teased Ironhide in a sing-song voice.

Ironhide shrank back as the Autobot came to his full thirty-foot height.

"Hello, Rachel," he said.

"Hi, Optimus," Rachel beamed.

Optimus looked at Ironhide.

"I'm sorry, Prime, I just wanted to make sure Rachel was safe," Ironhide said.

"I understand, Ironhide, but you must follow what Major Lennox says while we are working with their strike force," Optimus said.

"Sorry, it won't happen again, Optimus," Ironhide said.

Rachel laughed, to see Ironhide -as strong-willed as he was- completely shrink under Optimus.

Soon Lennox walked up.

"Hey," Rachel said.

"Hey, I see you got here safely," Lennox said looking to Ironhide.

"Of course."

Lennox smiled, "Well, better give you the grand tour then."

Lennox started walking and Rachel caught up. They were walking down a gigantic tarmac with huge C-17s and other aircraft parked on it.

"Over there is the Autobots' hangar," Lennox said nodding to a massive air plane hangar that could have held two of the C-17s nose to tail.

"That's big," Rachel said.

"Yeah, that's also where you're going to be working," Lennox said.

"Awesome."

"Damn it, Ironhide!" Rachel yelled jumping back as the black Topkick sped past her, almost running her over.

Lennox gave a short laugh and started walking toward the hangar, Rachel followed.

As they entered the hangar the first thing Rachel noticed was a group of Autobots parked in one spot. Ratchet and Ironhide were the only two she recognized, the others were a sleek, silver Corvette Stingray, three motorcycles and a blue, Chevy Volt.

"Are those-"

"New Autobots, yeah, they came after they heard Optimus' message, they've been helping ever since," Lennox said.

"Their names?" Rachel asked.

"The Corvette is Sideswipe, the motorcycles are the Arcee twins, and the blue one is Jolt."

"You said Sideswipe?"

"Yeah."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Rachel said to herself.

"So here's where you'll be working," Lennox said.

Rachel looked at the three-sided, metal platform, it was about ten feet off the ground in a square U shape accessible by two sets of ladder-like stairs on either side. On the platform there were desks lining the length of the platform, each with soldiers and computers occupying them. Overhead lights lit up the desks that were scattered with papers.

"Wow, that's amazing," Rachel said gaping at the platform.

"This is where we communicate with our command center back at the Pentagon and monitor missions," Lennox said.

Rachel couldn't believe she was going to work here.

_Talk about coolest job ever,_ Rachel thought.

"Okay, so here's how it goes. When we are carrying out a mission, I want you to help track the Autobots if we lose them from main sight. ATM cameras, traffic cameras, anything you can find to help us keep our eyes on every second of the mission. When we aren't doing a mission, you are free to come and go unless we need you for intel. Now the pay's not great..."

"It's fine, Lennox, this is wonderful. I have enough money as long as I'm keeping a steady income. I've had to learn to fend for myself since my..."

Lennox seemed to know, "Right, so, I have your cell number and I'll call you when we get a mission, okay?"

Rachel smiled, "Lennox, you don't even know how thankful I am for this, I can't even begin to tell you.."

"You don't have to, Rachel, I can see it," Lennox said.

Rachel smiled. The black Topkick pulled up beside her.

"I'm still mad at you," Rachel said.

Lennox waved as Rachel climbed in the Topkick, she waved back as Ironhide drove off.

**So what did we learn boys and girls? XD We learn more of Rachel's past...interesting. We also learn Ironhide has no regard for the rules(as if that wasn't obvious from the start) Plus Rachel has a job at NEST(don't smack talk me about how its sort of unrealistic, I had to keep her in the action somehow) I would love to work at NEST, talk about worlds best job, ****_EVER_****! Sorry for the mishap -whether it was my fault or the story got deleted somehow, I don't know for sure- I will be uploading chapter 2 soon. SHSK out! * ******leaves *****


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, sorry about that whole mishap... I'm almost completely done with ROTF now and will be moving right along to DOTM, so expect some chapters to come up more quickly now. Fair warning this chapter is long.  
>Anyway, here's chapter 2 and it's a long one, let's see where Rachel's job takes her: <strong>

**Chapter 2 **

Rachel jumped down from the Topkick.

"Alright, get going, I'm safe now," Rachel said patting Ironhide's hood.

The truck didn't move an inch.

"Ironhide, go, you need to be with NEST, they might need you."

Everything was silent.

"Ironhide, go, God, I'll be fine, please," Rachel said.

Ironhide started to transform.

"Ironhide, what the _hell_ are you doing!" Rachel whispered angrily.

"Rachel, if something happens to you..."

"Being soft, huh?" Rachel teased.

Ironhide gave her a look showing her he wasn't joking. Rachel sighed.

"It won't," Rachel insisted.

"How do you know? Hmm?"

"I _don't_ know Ironhide, but Sam lives like ten minutes away and Bumblebee is with him. Okay? I've got Sam on speed dial, if anything happens Bee can be here in a minute. Please, if someone sees you I won't be able to live with myself, so, please, go back to NEST. I'll be there soon enough."

Ironhide studied her for a minute and then transformed back into the Topkick, and not a second too soon.

"Hey, Rachel!" came her neighbor's voice.

Rachel wheeled around to see her neighbor at her door across the street.

"See?" Rachel jeered angrily at Ironhide. "You are _so_ lucky she didn't see you."

Rachel put her hand on Ironhide's hood.

"I promise I'll be back at NEST soon, okay? Don't go soft, big guy," Rachel teased.

She patted his hood one last time before he backed out of driveway a little too fast. He sped off down the road. Her neighbor walked up to her.

"Who was that, huh?" she said in a cheery voice.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Oh, my God, really, Sarah? It was my cousin," she lied in mock-annoyance.

"Haha, thought it might be a new man in your life," Sarah insisted.

"Like any _man_ could keep up with me," Rachel sneered.

"Just saying."

"Oh, I'll come get Mo now, but I might need to drop him off on short notice sometimes. New job," Rachel explained.

"Okay, I understand, it's totally fine," Sarah said.

Rachel sprawled out on her bed.

"Oh, Mo, what am I going to do?" Rachel sighed stroking the puppy.

He looked at her with brown eyes. Rachel smiled and got back up. She picked up her cell and clicked a button.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Sam, it's Rachel," Rachel said.

"_Hey! What's up?"_

"Nothing really, you?"

"_Getting ready for college."_

"Already?"

Sam sighed, _"Yeah, East coast starts sooner. Nothing else is going on though, life's pretty dull."_

Rachel laughed, "Too bad, I have something interesting, but I can't mention it on an open phone line, so it's going to have to wait. How's Bee?" Rachel asked figuring "Bee" would mean nothing to anyone else.

"_He's good, bored I think, but fine,"_ Sam said.

"So, college, where are you going?"

"_Pennsylvania."_

"Wow that's far, is Mikaela going with you?"

"_No, she's got to be with her dad, he just got out of prison, so..."_

"That's good for her, sorry she's not coming though, you guys going to go long-distance?"

"_Of course."_

Rachel laughed, "Good, I think you have the best chance together, considering recent events."

"_Right, listen, I got to go, my dad's yelling at me to get packing, I'll talk to you later."_

"Bye."

"_Bye."_

Rachel ended the call. So Sam was going to college at Pennsylvania and she had the coolest job ever right here, at least until _she,_ too, went to college She would miss him, but she wasn't about to tell Ironhide this, he'd go nuts if Bumblebee..

_What about Bumblebee? Freshmen aren't allowed to have cars. So, Bee will probably come to NEST if he can't be with Sam. That's going to be bad, Bee loves Sam so much... _Rachel thought.

The bond Sam and Bee had reminded Rachel of the bond between herself and Ironhide. She would do anything for him, and vise versa. Rachel went to bed that night thinking of this and having hope in it.

Rachel's nightmares continued like a movie replaying over and over. The Tahoe transformed.

"Rachel, what did you tell him?"

Rachel choked on her own words, "The hideout...Ironhide, please, I am so sorry."

Ironhide looked away, there was silence between them. Only the crackling of the remaining fire was heard.

"What happened?" Ironhide asked.

Rachel could hardly speak for the lump in her throat.

"He lied... I should have known...my parents," Rachel couldn't finish.

Ironhide looked at the demolished house, "I'm sorry, Rachel."

"Don't be...it was my fault, I'm so stupid, but, Ironhide, they're going after the Autobots we have to..."

Ironhide turned to face her, "_We_ aren't doing anything, _I'm_ going, it's too dangerous."

Rachel stood there and watched the Autobot transform. He drove away at top speed.

Rachel's cell phone jolted her from sleep.

"What the-" she yelped as she about fell off her bed.

She quickly scrambled to grab her phone.

"Hello?"

"_You alright, Rachel, you're out of breath?"_

"Lennox!" Rachel exclaimed happily. "Yeah, I'm fine, my phone just scared me, long story."

"_I'll take your word for it," _Lennox said.

"Got a mission already?" Rachel asked.

"_Yeah, sorry, can you come now?"_

"Yeah, just need to get a few things in order. Wait, how am I supposed to get to Diego Garcia? I can't get on a plane."

"_I'm going to have a helicopter pick you up at the airport."_

"Cool I'll be there ASAP," Rachel said. "See you soon."

"_Bye."_

Rachel ended the call and started to gather everything. Her laptop, purse, keys, and prepared the house to be left alone for a while. She grabbed up her cell phone and called Sarah.

"_Jesus, Rachel, it's like six in the morning!"_

"I told you my job requires short notice," Rachel joked.

"_Fine, fine, bring Mo, but I'm going back to bed afterwards," _Sarah said.

"I don't care what you do after I leave, Sarah," Rachel taunted holding the phone between her shoulder and ear.

Rachel locked the door as the call was ended. She dropped her stuff in her car and then grabbed up Mochie. She ran across the street as Sarah opened her door.

"Bye, Mo," Rachel said kissing Mochie on the head and then handing him to Sarah.

"Thanks again, Sarah," Rachel said.

"No problem," Sarah said. "Have fun."

"I'll call you later if I can," Rachel said walking away.

She drove the longer distance to the airport and just like Lennox had promised a helicopter was waiting for her. When she arrived at the NEST base just as the sun started to rise.

"Thank you," Rachel told the pilot and got out.

Lennox met Rachel and they walked to the hangar together.

"Thanks for coming on a short notice," Lennox said.

Rachel laughed, "Seriously, Lennox? Its my job now, but I guess you're welcome."

Lennox laughed, "I know."

"So, what's the mission, if I can ask?"

"We received signals of a Decepticon hiding in Shanghai, they've just been cleared for us to go," Lennox said.

"Shanghai? Like Shanghai, _China_?" Rachel asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. So, our NEST team is going there tomorrow morning so we'll have the cover of night. I need you to keep an eye on the Autobots when they aren't with us. Like I said, ATMs, traffic lights, anything you can get," Lennox said.

Rachel nodded. Lennox helped her up onto the platform stairs and showed her a desk.

"Here you go," Lennox said.

Rachel took one glance at the super-advanced computer and her eyes lit up.

"I think I'm in love," Rachel joked.

Lennox laughed, "Every techie's dream, huh?"

"You know it is," Rachel said putting her stuff under and on the desk.

"I'll leave you two alone," Lennox said walking away.

"Thank you," Rachel said.

For the next couple of hours Rachel worked on figuring out the computer that was almost alien-no pun intended- to her. She had to learn how to hack on it -which was almost the same, but easier- and learn basically everything about it. When Lennox came back and demanded she take a break Rachel finally left the computer. She walked over to where the Autobots were parked.

"Told you I'd be here soon," Rachel said.

Immediately the Topkick started to transform. Then, the Search and Rescue Hummer next to the Topkick also started to transform.

"Hi, Ratchet," Rachel said to the Search and Rescue Hummer.

"Hello, Rachel," he said back, "I see your hand finally healed," the medical officer added.

Rachel smiled, flexing her once-broken left hand. She had been startled when Ironhide had picked her up unexpectedly, and thrown a punch at him before looking. Ratchet had later diagnosed it was broken in three places, but two years past and it had healed.

"Never again will I punch something without looking first," Rachel said.

"Probably a good thing to remember," Ironhide said.

"Oh, shut up, you were the one who-"

"Again, _you_ punched _me_, remember?" Ironhide fired back.

"You scared the _crap_ out of me! I just about had a heart attack!" Rachel fired.

Ironhide rolled his eyes at her, Rachel returned the gesture. Ratchet looked at them, not knowing what to do.

The next morning Rachel found herself saying good-bye to Ironhide and the other Autobots. This time he knew he had to go, and left Rachel without a fight. Rachel insisted she'd be fine, but she knew he felt uneasy about leaving her alone, he always did. Rachel watched as a few C-17s and countless helicopters took off from the huge tarmac. Rachel returned to her desk, waiting for the soldiers to make contact when they reached Shanghai. She spent the hours making herself familiar with Shanghai's technology, roads, and complete layout. She tried not to think about countless things that could go wrong.

"Three minutes!" called a soldier at a desk.

Rachel and other soldiers stood around the main screen watching as the helicopters approached.

"Shanghai evaced under the cover 'toxic spill' we have a one-miles radius to keep this in," a soldier explained.

Rachel already knew that one-mile radius wouldn't stand. Decepticons would rather run if they had the chance in stead of fighting right away, Rachel knew this too well.

"We'll see everything?" Rachel asked.

The soldiers looked at her.

"I'm new, sorry," Rachel said.

The soldier explaining everything nodded, "We'll see and hear everything. Command, our men, the Autobots, everyone."

Rachel nodded.

"_NEST Seahawks approaching target," _a female voice came from the computer.

"That was command, let's do this," the soldier said.

"_Alright, give NEST team the go,"_ came a man's voice.

Rachel recognized it, it was General Morshower's voice from the Pentagon. Rachel knew Lennox didn't trust anyone's judgment more, and for that Rachel respected the General.

Rachel watched as the NEST trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles poured into Shanghai from different angles. Rachel could hardly keep up with all the monitors at the same time.

"_Roll in Alpha through Echo now,"_ came a voice.

The soldiers in helicopters landed and spread out, readying their weapons. A certain monitor caught Rachel's attention as the familiar Topkick came into view. Soldiers were sitting in the truck's bed, they jumped out as Ironhide came to a stop next to Lennox.

Lennox patted Ironhide's hood, "Alright, Ironhide. We got echoes, they're close. Steel stacks at 2 o'clock."

Ironhide started to transform. With a few grunts he stood at his full height.

"He's here, I smell him," Ironhide said his breath visible in the cold air.

Slowly and quietly the NEST soldiers moved toward the stack of steel pipes.

"_Alright, everybody, be steady. We're right on top of it,"_ Lennox whispered into the radio.

Suddenly a massive excavator behind the steel pipes started to transform. It slammed its arms down on the steel pipes, scattering them as if they were made of plastic. The stacks bounced over the NEST team, hitting and landing on some of the soldiers.

"_Eagle niner!" _Rachel heard Lennox yell over the radio.

Rachel ran back to her desk. She could still hear the monitor, gunfire rang out as NEST fired on the Decepticon. Rachel hacked into a near-by traffic light camera, and saw as the giant Decepticon flipped on one giant wheel -the other above its head- and moved away. Rachel had been right, that one-mile radius hadn't stood a chance.

"_Panther 1, requesting fire mission now!" _Rachel heard Epps' voice from the computer say into the radio.

"_Gunships on station, roll in hot!"_ came a voice from command.

"_Dog 1, now, we're engaging,_" came another voice over the radio.

Rachel saw as a few helicopters fired missiles at the Decepticon. It took down one helicopter, but was otherwise unharmed.

"_We got a second Decepticon,"_ a voice came over the radio.

_Really!_ Rachel thought sarcastically.

"Hallows!" called the soldier that had been explaining things. "Track that Decepticon!"

"Yes, sir!" Rachel called back.

"_Arcee twins!"_ she heard Lennox yell into the radio. _"Target coming your way!"_

Rachel spotted a silver and black Audi sports car as it sped away, pursued by the Autobot motorcycles. The Acrees had made hologram humans on them, Rachel smiled, female Autobots. She hacked multiple video cameras in the Decepticon's path. It reached an alleyway and the Arcees transformed. They shot at the Decepticon, but it didn't transform and it was getting further away. One of the Arcees grabbed the Audi's spoiler and the Decepticon transformed. It crashed through a house at the end of the alley, followed by the Arcees. Rachel speed-hacked quickly into a camera near-by. The Decepticon crashed through the other side of the house, hit the road and transformed, the Arcees shot at him. It drove right past the NEST team on the ground.

"_Bring in Sideswipe!" _Lennox called.

The silver Corvette sped after the Decepticon. Sideswipe transformed and skated on his wheeled feet after the Audi.

"_Clear a path!" _Sideswipe said.

He got right behind the Decepticon and thrust his blade into the ground, vaulting over the car. He shot the Audi a few times and then threw one of his blades into the Audi's hood. Sideswipe landed, reattached the blade -which was still impaled in the Decepticon- and pulled the blade down the length of the car, splitting it in half.

"_Damn, I'm good!"_ Sideswipe said retracting his blades.

Rachel let a small laugh escape, she liked Sideswipe already.

_A little egotistical... but otherwise fine, _Rachel thought, laughing to herself.

Rachel went back to the main screen. NEST trucks were driving down the road, soldiers in the flatbeds in the back.

"_Air support, we need Big Buddha to deliver the drop now!"_ she heard Epps say into a radio.

"_Cyclone 98, final attack hitting in 120,"_ the reply came.

"Hallows," said the soldier.

"Yes?" Rachel said.

"Go track that first Decepticon."

"Yes, sir."

Rachel quickly found the Decepticon rolling down a road throwing cars and flattening any in its path. Some soldiers clustered around Rachel's screen. It was about to crash into an over-pass, Rachel was sure it would destroy it, but she wasn't concerned except for the truck she saw on the over-pass.

"Optimus!" Rachel exclaimed in a whisper.

The Autobot leader transformed and jumped on the Decepticon as it demolished the over-pass. Explosions covered the road as Optimus shot at the Decepticon and missed. Cars exploded as the Decepticon rolled over them. Rachel then saw her favorite Topkick drive out of an explosion as it followed the Decepticon. An explosion hit right in front of it, but it was unharmed and kept driving. Rachel hacked into multiple videos, following them down the street.

"_Pull over!" _Optimus said drawing his gun.

He shot the Decepticon in the head. Rachel barely got a glimpse of Ironhide shooting out the Decepticon's wheel before it lost balance and fell off the bridge. Rachel quickly searched for any video near the site, and found one. The Decepticon fell to the concrete below, sliding -Optimus jumping off of it and rolling away- into a big warehouse. Rachel stopped the video as she saw the NEST team approaching. She and the other soldiers who had been watching her screen walked back to the main screen. She saw Optimus standing in the warehouse next to what remained of the Decepticon.

"_Punk-ass Decepticon!"_ Ironhide grumbled walking up to Optimus.

Rachel suppressed her laughter and sick-feeling nostalgia upon hearing the familiar words.

"_Any last words?"_Optimus said to the Decepticon.

"_This is not your planet to rule!"_ the Decepticon said in a gurgling voice. _"The Fallen shall rise again."_

"_That doesn't sound good,"_ Epps said.

"_Not today," _Optimus said cocking his gun.

He sent a single shot through the Decepticon's head, killing it.

**Ooooh, yeah like I said I had to keep Rachel in the main action of the movie, so putting her in NEST was my best option. we get the whole Shanghai op and a little more of Rachel's past. So where will this lead us, chapter 3 coming your way soon:) **

**(for those wondering why Sideswipe is so epic: he was trained under Ironhide XD)**


	3. Chapter 3

**The sense of time passing in this movie is really hard to follow, so I winged it;) This chapter is kinda short, but there's a lot in here. With no more to say here is Chapt three:**

**Chapter 3**

Rachel sighed, the other soldiers looked at her. The soldier who had given her orders walked up to her.

"Do you know what or who 'the Fallen' is?" he asked.

"I honestly -in all my years of working with the Autobots- have never heard of such a thing or someone. I'm sure Optimus knows though, sir," Rachel said.

"You did a good job today," he said to Rachel.

"Thank you, sir."

Rachel knew "the Fallen" had to mean something and she had a feeling it wouldn't be good.

Two days passed and the NEST team returned from Shanghai. Rachel and the others at the base went out to meet them. Lennox, Epps and some other soldiers walked off a C-17 followed by Optimus -in semi form. Rachel watched as an unfamiliar old, purple-pink and white ice-cream truck came off another plane.

"_Autobot twins report to Hangar Three," _came a voice over the intercom.

The ice-cream truck turned toward the third hangar. Ironhide and Sideswipe drove off a third C-17 followed by the rest of the soldiers. Rachel walked out to meet them. As the Autobots drove into their hangar a red Chevy Trax concept and a green Chevy BEAT concept joined them from Hangar Three. Rachel walked up on the platform after seeing Optimus drive in followed by Sideswipe. A helicopter sound made Rachel look out of the hangar at a landing Black Hawk. Rachel watched as Lennox walked out to the helicopter, and then started back with a man in a suit following him. Rachel didn't like the look of this guy, he looked like some government official, and to her most government officials weren't good news for the Autobots. In the middle of the U shaped platform between the two stairs was empty space, usually, Optimus was parked in front of it. As Lennox approached with the government-looking guy Optimus backed up into the middle space.

"So this is where we communicate with the JCS and this area serves as the Autobots' hangar," Lennox told to man.

"Secure link to the JCS is up, Major!" a soldier on the platform called to Lennox.

Lennox climbed the platform, nodded at Rachel, and stopped in front of a video-camera type thing.

"Secure line to the Pentagon is now up," said one of the soldiers.

"General?" Lennox said to the video-camera.

Rachel was close enough to hear everything, she saw General Morshower on one of the computer monitors.

"_Will, I saw the Shanghai op. We had a rough day out there," _General Morshower said.

"Yes, sir," said Lennox. "We have intel that I believe warrants an immediate debrief. Now with your permission, I can't let you see him, but I would like you to hear from the leader of the Autobots."

"_Proceed,"_ said the General.

Rachel watched as Optimus transformed below her. "Below her" didn't stand very long because Optimus rose to his full height, dwarfing the platform that only came to his knees.

"General, our alliance has countermanded six Decepticon incursions this year, each on a different continent. They're clearly searching for something, but last night's encounter came with a warning. '_The Fallen shall rise again_,'" Optimus said his voice changing to mimic the Decepticon's.

"_'The Fallen' meaning what?"_ the General asked.

Rachel was anxious to hear this as well.

"Origin unknown, the only recorded history of our race was contained with in the AllSpark, lost with its destruction," Optimus said.

Rachel was disappointed, she really wanted to know what the Fallen was, but she knew she needed to wait.

"Excuse me!" a voice came.

Rachel turned and looked down to see the man that Lennox had escorted in. Optimus turned too.

"With this so called AllSpark now destroyed, why hasn't the enemy left the planet like you thought they would?" the man said climbing the platform.

Rachel did not like this man one bit, he had no sense of respect at all.

"Director Galloway our National Security Advisor, the President just appointed him liaison," Lennox said to the General.

Rachel caught a small sight of Lennox rolling his eyes. She smiled, but knew this man would not be good news, Lennox respected those who were respectful and sometimes not.

"_Well, I guess I didn't get that memo," _the General said.

Rachel, and Optimus too, watched as Director Galloway made his way across the platform to stand next to Lennox, Rachel moved away but was still within ear shot of them.

"Forgive the interruption, General. Excuse me. Coming through," he said dodging soldiers.

Lennox showed him the video-camera to talk to.

"After all the damage in Shanghai the President is hard-pressed to say the job's getting done," he said to the video-camera.

"Now, under the classified Alien/Autobot Cooperation Act," Galloway said facing Optimus.

Optimus did not looked pleased, but Rachel knew he wouldn't be rude, unlike this man.

"You agreed to share your intel with us but not your advancements in weaponry," Galloway said.

Rachel almost scoffed to herself.

_Humans with Autobot technology? We'd all be dead within the month,_ she thought to herself.

"We've witnessed your human capacity for war," Optimus said pointing a finger at Galloway. "It would _absolutely_ bring more harm than good."

"But who are you to judge what's best for us?"Galloway asked.

Rachel's eyes widened, this guy didn't know what he was getting in to. He was being very disrespectful, and thus losing Rachel's respect, no matter who he thought he was. Lennox looked equally agitated.

"With all do respect, we've been fighting side by side in the field for _two_ years," Lennox told Galloway.

"We've shed blood, sweat, and precious metal together," Rachel heard Epps say.

He was standing by Optimus' leg.

"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk," Galloway said.

"Don't tempt me," Rachel heard Epps grumble to himself.

"Easy," Optimus said to Epps.

Rachel was extremely agitated with this man. She was amazed how Optimus kept his calm, being patient when Rachel knew he was also agitated.

"And the newest members of your team. I understand they arrived here after you sent a message into space, an open invitation to come to Earth, vetted by no one at the White House," Galloway continued.

Rachel really wanted to snatch a hand gun from one of these soldiers.

"_Let me stop you right there, Mr. Galloway, it was vetted right here. And in my experience, the judgment of both Major Lennox and his team has always been above reproach,"_ General Morshower cut in.

"Well, be that as it may, General, it is the position of the President that when our nation security is at stake, no one is above reproach," Galloway said.

Rachel could tell everyone was now agitated at this government big-shot.

"So what do we know so far? We know that the enemy leader, classified NBE One, aka Megatron, is rusting in peace at the bottom of the Laurentian Abyssal surrounded by SOSUS detection nets and a full-time submarine surveillance. We also know the only remaining piece of your alien AllSpark is locked in an electromagnetic vault here on one of the most secure naval bases in the world," Galloway said.

_No need to tell us what we already know, genius,_ Rachel thought.

"And since no one can seem to tell me what the enemy is now after,well, there's only one clear conclusion! You! The Autobots! They're here to hunt you!" Galloway exclaimed.

Optimus looked like his last string of patience was being tested, but still he didn't blow up at the man. "What else is there to hunt for on Earth besides that? 'The Fallen shall rise again'? It sounds to me like something's coming. So, let me ask, if we ultimately conclude our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on _our_ planet, will you leave peacefully?" Galloway continued.

"Freedom is your right, if you make that request, we will honor it," Optimus said in a level tone.

Rachel couldn't believe what was happening. Sending the Autobots away! That had to be the worst idea she'd ever heard _anyone_ say, Decepticons would kill them all!

_What do they think will happen? The Decepticons will peacefully waltz after the Autobots to attack them on their dying planet in stead! Leave? These idiots don't have a clue, they're going to get everyone killed!_ Rachel thought.

"_But_ before your President decides please ask him this," Optimus said leaning closer to face Galloway.

"What if we leave, and you're wrong?"

Galloway stood there not knowing what to do as Optimus stood back.

"That's a good question," Lennox told Optimus.

Rachel had to hold back her laughter, Optimus had a way to handle even the toughest situations. She admired him for his patience.

Lennox told Rachel she could go home for a day to situate anything she needed before coming back. Rachel took his offer and returned home. Sarah asked how long she would be gone again and Rachel simply replied she didn't know. Rachel spent the night at her own house, glad to finally have some sleep after the Shanghai op. It had been a rough day, but she hadn't minded, her new job was what she wanted. Nightmares plagued her that night.

"Ironhide, behind you!" the Mustang -dubbed "S" by Ironhide- called.

Ironhide turned and shot a Decepticon that had been advancing on him. Autobots and Decepticons fought all around Rachel, who cowered behind a car. She had followed Ironhide to the hideout and had found the Autobots overwhelmed by numerous Decepticons. Most of the Decepticons had been taken out though, thanks to Ironhide and "S". Rachel's breath caught as she saw some of the Autobots she had been friends with lying dead or injured on the ground. Suddenly the F-22 flew in, shooting Ironhide down.

"Ironhide!" Rachel exclaimed quietly, she knew better than to draw attention to herself.

Enraged, "S" charged at the F-22 -who's name Rachel had learned was Starscream. The two fought, Starscream getting the worst of it, until a dying Decepticon tripped "S." The Mustang fell to the ground, quickly overpowered by Starscream. Tears stung Rachel's eyes as Starscream killed the Autobot.

Rachel jerked awake. Only then did she realize that not her phone going off, but the nightmare had woken her. She picked up her phone, noticing the time that read 7:30am, she had slept in too late.

"Hello?" Rachel answered the phone, trying not to sound half-asleep.

"_Rachel, it's Lennox, you need to get over here right now,"_ Lennox said in a some-what worried tone.

"Okay," Rachel replied.

"_Good, I'll see you soon,"_ Lennox said hanging up the phone.

Rachel pulled on her blue jacket, put on her black boots, grabbed her stuff and bolted out the door.

**Yay, Galloway -who I like to call Duche in a Suit (courtesy of Smeghead on youtube). So Galloway is introduced(unfortunately) and basically is here **_**just**_** to be a dushe in a suit. Anyway, ****more of Rachel's past(yay) and now something urgent has come up at NEST, what is it? Only Chapt 4 will tell**

**Chapt 4 coming your way soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is my me-finishing-ROTF fanfic-present to you. Yes I finished the whole of ROTF and I am immediately starting on DOTM. Sadly, after DOTM I have no clue what im gonna do until -if or if not- they make a fourth Transformers(I hope they do) unless it is a prologue to the other three. Anyway, chapter 4 out of 12 :D here you go. Let's see what Lennox wanted Rachel to come to Diego Garcia for...**

**Chapter 4**

When Rachel arrived at Diego Garcia things seemed _off_. She quickly found Lennox.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

Lennox leaned closer to her, "The last piece of the AllSpark was stolen last night," he whispered.

Rachel's eyes widened, "Like Decepticon-stolen?" she whispered back.

"Yeah, they got away."

"That's not good, that's not good at all, what are we going to do?"

"I don't-"

"Major, Lennox!" someone called from inside the hangar. "You need to see this!"

Lennox ran to the hangar, Rachel following him.

"What do you have?" Lennox asked.

"Command's saying that the submarines protecting NBE One got five contacts diving down the abyssal," the soldier said.

Rachel's heart sank, the shard was stolen... contacts diving toward Megatron, she had a bad feeling.

"Now they've lost contact with the submarine...I'm sorry, Major, that's all I have."

Lennox frowned, looking at the ground.

"It's alright, thank you," he said.

The soldier walked away.

Lennox put Rachel to work trying to find the submarine that they lost contact with. Rachel worked her hardest, but couldn't find a signal of it anywhere.

"Lennox, I don't think it's there," Rachel said.

"It has to be, submarines don't just disappear, Rachel," Lennox said.

"I know," Rachel said going back to searching.

Finally Rachel found a few seconds of transmission from the missing submarine.

"_Angel Six, we got six hostiles coming up,"_ someone said.

Rachel checked the time, it was made a half-hour ago.

"Lennox!" she called.

Lennox came running over, "What'd you get?"

"I got like a thirty-second transmission from the submarine, it was made half and hour ago," Rachel said.

Rachel played it.

"Lennox, I thought they had _five_ hostiles," Rachel said frightened.

Lennox stared at the screen intently, then at Rachel.

"Rachel, I want you to go home," Lennox said.

Rachel was confused, "But you just told me to-"

"Listen, I know you're tired, there are dark circles under your eyes and you slept in until at least 7:30 this morning," Lennox continued sternly.

"How did you-"

"You sounded like you had just woken up when I called you this morning. Rachel, you are no help to yourself or to us if you are tired. I know you can't work your best if you are running on no energy, no one can," Lennox said.

Rachel wanted to argue that she was fine, but she knew it would be pointless.

"Okay," she said.

Lennox smiled, "Anyone would be glad to hear that."

"I _like_ doing this, Lennox," Rachel said.

"I mean it, Rachel, a full 24 hours not just tonight, okay?" Lennox said.

Rachel smiled, "Okay."

Rachel arrived at her house later that night, she didn't even bother going over to Sarah's, she knew she would soon be back at NEST. She ate, took a long-needed shower and laid out on the couch. Her thoughts overwhelmed her. The last piece of the AllSpark was stolen, the submarine had stated firmly there were _five_ contacts, but minutes later said there were not five, but _six_ contacts. This hung over Rachel like a dark cloud. Then, she realized that when she was at Diego Garcia, she hadn't seen Optimus in the hangar, this didn't worry her she just thought it to be odd.

Rachel was glad to wake up and know she didn't have nightmares. She went about a normal morning, doing regular things, but still her dark thoughts hung over her. Toward the afternoon, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Rachel! It's Mikaela, I need to come over right now, are you home?"_ came Mikaela's frightened voice.

"Yeah, I'm home, come on over," Rachel replied.

Mikaela hung up.

A couple minutes later Rachel opened the door and Mikaela came in.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

"A few days ago I was talking to Sam on the phone when he was leaving for college. He said he found a piece of the AllSpark on his jacket. He gave it to me to hold, so I locked it in the shop safe in my dad's garage. So, today a little Decepticon showed up there trying to get in the safe, he wanted the shard," Mikaela said.

Rachel's eyes widened, "What did you do?"

"Its in a box outside, listen, I need to get to Pennsylvania right now, I think Sam might be in trouble," Mikaela said.

"Okay, I'm coming with you. I'll drive, let's go," Rachel said.

Mikaela grabbed a small metal box with a lock on it.

"Let me out!" came a cry from inside.

"That the Decepticon?" Rachel asked starting her car.

"Yeah."

Rachel drove to the airport, she and Mikaela didn't talk the entire ride, they were both on edge. They bought airplane tickets to Philadelphia. Mikaela went to the security desk for carry-ons.

"And have any strangers given you anything suspicious to carry on today?" asked the clerk.

"_Yeah, a live bomb!"_ came from inside the metal box.

"No," Mikaela asked smiling.

"Good."

As they were boarding the plane, Rachel's phone rang.

"Lennox, I'm about to get on a plane," she answered.

"_A plane? Where?"_

"It's a long story, Mikaela thinks Sam's in trouble, I'm going with her to Pennsylvania," Rachel replied.

"_The Autobots just sent us an SOS they're splitting into two teams to New York and Philadelphia...Wait you said _you're _going to Pennsylvania? Never mind, they have multiple Decepticon contacts there, Rachel, be careful. Listen, I have to go,"_ Lennox said.

"So do I."

"_We're going with them, okay, Rachel, please be careful," _Lennox said.

"I will, Lennox, I have to go I'm getting on the plane," Rachel said.

"_Alright, bye," _Lennox said.

The line went dead.

Rachel sat next to Mikaela. The plane flight wasn't that long, but thoughts buzzed around Rachel's head making time seem to fly.

_"Flight 57, welcome to Philadelphia,"_ the pilot's voice came over the intercom.

They landed shortly after. Rachel and Mikaela quickly got off the plane and hailed a cab.

"I hope Sam's okay," Rachel said.

"Me too,I hope nothing's gone wrong while we were coming," Mikaela said.

The cab ride was short, they pulled onto a beautiful college campus.

"Sam goes here?" Rachel asked in amazement.

"Yeah," Mikaela replied getting out of the cab.

She got the metal box from the trunk and then she and Rachel walked to the guest center. They got directions to Sam's dorm and then left.

"Rachel, calm down you look like you just saw a ghost," Mikaela said.

"I know, Lennox called me earlier and said that the Autobots got signals of multiple Decepticon contacts, and some were her in this state," Rachel whispered.

"Oh, God, that's not good, come on," Mikaela said picking up her pace.

They stopped in front of a door with odd stickers on it. Mikaela smiled as she opened the door. Rachel came up beside her.

"Sam?" Mikaela said, but then her face went blank.

Rachel gasped, a girl was on top of Sam, kissing him.

"Mikaela!" Sam exclaimed quietly

Mikaela looked furious and hurt at the same time.

"Is that your girlfriend?" the girl asked.

"Uh-huh," Sam replied.

"Sam!" Rachel exclaimed furiously.

"Ex," Mikaela replied shutting the door.

"Mikaela! Wait!" Sam called.

Rachel followed her out, not talking. They got half-way down the hallway before they heard smashing and banging sounds coming from Sam's room. Rachel and Mikaela looked at each other in fear and then ran back to Sam's dorm. Mikaela opened the door and a guy came up beside them. Rachel froze. The girl who had been on top of Sam had a five-foot metal tongue wrapped around Sam's neck, pinning him to the ground.

"Sam, your bed buddy Alice..." the guy started then saw it.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he exclaimed.

The girl retracted her tongue. Sam screamed and Mikaela threw the box at the girl, but it missed and crashed out the window. Rachel ran after Mikaela, followed by Sam and the guy. They ran out of the dorm to a near-by library.

"She's coming!" Mikaela screamed as they ran up the steps.

"She's an alien robot, you gotta move," Sam told the guy.

"Is this real!" the guy exclaimed.

"Yeah it's real, dumb ass! Run!" Rachel yelled.

"Just run!" Sam said.

Rachel ran after Mikaela into the library, they all ducked behind a bookshelf.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! I can't believe I almost had sex with her in my dream!" Sam's friend whispered.

"I can tell that you really missed me a lot, _Sam_!" Mikaela whispered.

"Look, it's not my fault okay?" Sam whispered back.

"It's not your fault?" Rachel asked sarcastically.

"Listen! Listen, I am a victim!" Sam said.

"Oh you were a victim? Of what!" Mikaela whispered angrily.

"Yeah."

"Of what! A little 80-pound girl!" Mikaela whispered angrily

"Of..of molestation," Sam whispered. "It was like getting humped in the neck by a mountain ox!"

Rachel rolled her eyes, she was amused by this conversation. She wanted to see how Sam would explain that.

"You didn't have to put your tongue in her mouth!" Mikaela whispered angrily.

"I didn't!" Sam whispered back.

"You did!"

"Look, have you ever had your stomach tongued by a mountain ox with a five-foot tongue? It's not fun for me,okay, Mikaela! And it smelled like...like diesel! Like a diesel-y tinge to it!" Sam whispered.

"You're such a little girl!" Mikaela shot back.

Rachel laughed.

"Shut up, Rachel!" Sam whispered.

"We're gonna have ten seconds of silence right now. I'm not talking to you for ten seconds," Sam said to Mikaela.

"You can't give me the silent treatment!" Mikaela whispered angrily. "You know what?"

"I'm not talking to you for ten seconds, you have three seconds left," Sam said.

Sam started counting his fingers.

"You know what? You can give me the silent treatment all you want, but you can't keep me from talking," Mikaela whispered.

Sam hit three fingers.

"What were you gonna say?" he asked Mikaela.

"I hope you had a lot of fun, because this," Mikaela said gesturing to herself. "...this is over!"

"She violated your orifice? With..with her nasty alien probe? She did it? She went in there?" Sam's friend started saying.

Sam started to look like he was going to be sick. Rachel turned to look at Sam's friend.

"All her little alien embryo babies are gestating and hatching inside of you. They're growing right now, probably! You need to vomit it right now. Yak it! Yak it right now!" he said.

Sam threw up.

"Who the hell are you?" Rachel asked, disgusted and annoyed.

"Who are you?" Mikaela asked at the same time.

"I'm Leonardo Ponce De Leon Spitz. Okay? I'm the key to this, the aliens, they want me because of my site!" Sam's friend said.

Suddenly the wall behind them exploded. Sam got up and jumped onto a rectangular light hanging from the ceiling over the first floor. Mikaela and Rachel quickly climbed over the second floor railing onto a ladder below. They quickly climbed down, followed by Sam's friend. Sam fell off the light to the floor.

"Run!" said Sam's friend.

The Decepticon -which Rachel was sure that small robot was- jumped after them. Sam slid under a table after Rachel. Mikaela and Sam's friend slid under another one.

"Mikaela!" Sam called.

The bookshelves behind them suddenly burst forward, flinging wood and books on them. The rest of the students in the library ran. Sam, Rachel, Mikaela, and Sam's friends crawled back, their backs against a wall. The Decepticon shot the wall right next to them, creating a gigantic hole.

"Come on!" Rachel yelled pulling up Sam.

"Come on! We gotta move!" Sam said pulling Mikaela along with him.

"It's a bomb!" somebody yelled.

Rachel knew this was much worse than a bomb. Mikaela had pulled off her heels and Sam pulled her by her arm. Rachel ran behind them, followed by Sam's friend. They ran from the library to a parking lot on campus. Students screamed and ran.

"You've got to get that box!" Mikaela told Sam.

Sam ran over to where the box had crashed through the window of his dorm. He picked it up, seemingly surprised at its weight. Mikaela opened a door to a car parked in the parking lot.

"This way!" she yelled.

Rachel jumped in the back seat with Sam's friend as Sam jumped in the passenger seat.

"Hey! Let me out! Let me out!" came a yell inside the box as Sam passed it back to Rachel.

Mikaela took two wires from the car and started hot-wiring them.

"Oh, my God, you know how to hot-wire a car? That's so hot," Sam's friend said.

"Drive, drive, drive! She's right there, she's right there!" Sam said.

Rachel looked up to see the girl walking toward them.

"Come on, come on, come on," Mikaela said.

The girl got right next to them and her face started to changed.

"Go, go, go! Back up the car!" Sam yelled.

The girl transformed into a small Decepticon, and jumped on the hood, punching the windshield.

"Oh, God!" Rachel yelled. "Mikaela, hurry!"

The Decepticon's tongue came through the windshield.

"Tongue, tongue, tongue!" Sam yelled scared.

Finally the car started and Mikaela backed up quickly, throwing the Decepticon back. She turned the car around and started driving, but the Decepticon still hung on.

"Oh, my God!" Sam exclaimed.

It grabbed Sam, pulling him out the window a little, he fought back. The Decepticon fell back on the hood of the car.

"Kiss this, bitch," Mikaela said.

Just as the Decepticon fell in front of the car, Mikaela drove the car right into a lamp pole. Mikaela backed up the car.

"Drive, drive, drive," Sam said to Mikaela.

Mikaela put the car in drive and ran over the Decepticon. They all looked back to make sure it was gone.

Rachel sat back, relieved, and sighed.

"Okay, so what else don't I know? Since you guys forgot to mention a few minor details," Sam's friend said.

"National security, can't tell you, sorry, its classified" Rachel cut in.

He looked at her. They sped down the highway.

"That thing you saw back there that was the little baby..." Sam started, but then started screaming.

"Oh!" Mikaela yelled, pushing on the breaks, making the car spin.

A huge helicopter flew right in front of them.

"Oh, God, oh God!" Rachel yelled.

A harpoon-like thing came through the roof right next to Rachel.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Sam's friend yelled looking at it.

Just as Rachel looked out the window a huge SUV ran right into them.

Rachel screamed as they were lifted from the ground, the car spinning after being hit.

"Oh, my God, Sam!" Rachel yelled as Sam fell from the car.

He held on to the door, dangling as they were lifted higher in the air. Sam's friend and Mikaela helped pull him up. Rachel could do nothing but watch as they flew over a river, _high_ above a river. Rachel pushed back against the seat.

"I don't want to die! We're going to die! Oh, my God!" Sam's friend yelled.

The harpoon retracted, dropping the car hundreds of feet from the ground, above a warehouse.

**Uh-oh, they're screwed. And I was getting really annoyed with Leo in this part. I decided not to call him by Leo just yet, why? Cause I feel like it! No jk, I just didn't want to. So where is this helicopter dropping them to (not to mention from a hight that would have -in reality- killed them) who knows I may or may not upload chapter 5 today... depending on how far I get in DOTM before I go to bed.**

**(Oh and to point something out. When the Decepticons dove down and the sub said five diving, and then six coming up. Didn't they kill off one Decepticon at the bottom and gain one before coming back up? Then it should be five either way shouldn't it? Just saying...)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, again, I have started DOTM and am on chapter 2 as of 11/29, so here's chapter five for ya'll. I don't want to keep you waiting to figure out our characters' fates so here. Now let's see what happens.**

**Chapter 5**

All of them screamed as they plummeted to the roof of the warehouse. Rachel felt like she was on a roller coaster, her stomach felt like it was in her throat.

"Oh, shit!" she screamed as they crashed through the roof of the warehouse.

The car hit the floor head-on, the car flipped upside-down. Rachel was jarred horribly, hitting her head on the seat in front of her. All of them screamed as something cut the car in half, the two sides falling apart. Sam and Rachel stood up out of their side of the car.

"Oh, Jesus! Oh, Jesus!" Sam's friend exclaimed as Starscream stomped in front of them.

"Oh, God, no," Rachel whispered.

Rachel looked behind Mikaela and she almost stopped breathing: Megatron.

"Come here, boy," Megatron said.

_No, no, no, no, no,_ Rachel thought.

She wasn't too surprised to see him, though, she had a feeling when that sub had said "_five_ contacts _diving_" and then "_six_ contacts coming _up" _she just didn't want to believe it.

Mikaela turned to face Megatron as Sam walked up to him with his hands up.

"Closer," Megatron said.

Rachel looked at Mikaela, fear shooting through her eyes.

"You remember me don't you?" Megatron said softly.

Sam started walking down the stairs to the first floor where Megatron was standing.

"I did what you said, okay? Just don't hurt us," Sam said.

"Shut up!"Megatron yelled throwing Sam from the stairs.

"Sam!" Rachel and Mikaela screamed at the same time.

Sam landed on a big rectangular concrete block, grunting. Megatron stood over him, pinning Sam down with his hand.

"It feels good to grab your flesh!" Megatron said.

Sam grunted and groaned, trying to get free of Megatron. Rachel and Mikaela went to the second-story railing, looking down on what was happening.

"I'm going to kill you, slowly, painfully, but first we have some delicate work to do," Megatron said to Sam.

Rachel was scared, she was scared for Sam. Scared that Megatron _would_ kill him, scared of what this "delicate work" might be, but she had a feeling it _wasn't_ delicate.

"Oh, how I could snap your limbs off," Megatron said. "Doctor, examine this alien specimen."

A little spider/crab-looking Decepticon jumped up on Sam. Rachel saw Mikaela was crying as the thing scrapped Sam's face.

"Beseeching my shard! Easy or tough way?" it said in an accented voice.

Rachel could hardly see what was going on, but she could see that Sam had swallowed something. He spat it back out and the crab Decepticon grabbed it. The Decepticon showed a hologram image of some Cybertronian symbols.

"Oh, there they are," Megatron said.

"That's what I'm seeing in my head," Sam said more to himself.

"These symbols can lead us to the Energon source," Megatron said.

"We must have the brain, on the table! Chop, chop!" the crab Decepticon said.

Rachel looked just as horrified and shocked as Sam.

"Brain? What does he mean by...by my brain!" Sam stuttered.

"Well, you have something on your mind, something I need," Megatron said.

"Hold on. I...I know you're pissed, I know you're pissed. Because I tried to kill you, and that's completely understandable, if someone tried to kill me I'd be upset too," Sam rambled to Megatron.

"I think we have an opportunity here, to start anew and...and develop our relationship and...and see where it leads us. So, if you could just call Doctor Inspector off and let's just talk for five seconds! Wait, wait, wait!" Sam yelled.

The roof came crumbling down above Megatron and a wall across from Mikaela and Sam's friend also crumbled. Rachel ducked, covering her head with her arms.

"Oh, God, Sam!" Rachel screamed.

Then Rachel saw what, or rather who, had crashed through the ceiling.

"Optimus!" Rachel gasped seeing the Autobot leader.

Then she saw who had crashed through the wall.

"Bee!" Rachel exclaimed seeing the young Autobot shooting at Starscream.

What happened next happened so fast, Rachel could hardly process it. Mikaela and Sam's friend ran one way, Rachel ran to Sam. Bumblebee shot at Starscream as Optimus shot at Megatron. Optimus jumped over Megatron, shooting at him. Optimus landed and shot Starscream with one gun and Megatron with the other. Starscream was overwhelmed by Optimus' fire and fled. With one shot, Optimus sent Megatron crashing through the wall behind him. Rachel ran up to Sam who had gotten out of the warehouse.

"Sam!" Rachel called.

Optimus jumped out of the warehouse through the gigantic hole.

"Sam, Rachel!" he called.

Rachel saw Megatron transform into a Cybertronian tank and drive away, and Bumblebee sped to the other side of the warehouse.

"Come on!" Rachel said pulling Sam to Optimus as he transformed.

She knew Sam wanted to go with Bumblebee, but there was no way. Rachel climbed in the semi, Sam coming in after her.

"Go, go, go," Rachel mumbled.

Optimus drove off, quickly getting on a road surrounded by a forest on both sides. The paved road quickly changed into a dirt road running right through the forest.

"Here he comes!" Sam exclaimed as the Cybertronian tank crashed through the forest behind them.

Megatron shot Optimus, he transformed. Rachel found herself in Optimus' tight grip with Sam. Megatron tackled Optimus and he hit the ground, letting go of Sam and Rachel. Rachel rolled for a few horrible seconds and then got her bearings, and ran after Sam.

"Hide!" Optimus yelled.

Rachel saw Optimus punch Megatron upside the face. Megatron then tackled Optimus to the ground. Rachel hid behind a tree next to Sam and watched Optimus and Megatron, there was nothing else they could do. If they ran they could get lost, or worse get captured by Decepticons.

Optimus pulled up a tree and swung it down on Megatron.

"Weak!" Optimus exclaimed.

"Puny! Waste of metal!" Optimus degraded Megatron as he punched and hit him.

Megatron tried to hit Optimus, but Optimus slammed Megatron to the ground. Optimus' glowing-hot blade replaced his hand as he attacked Megatron. Optimus stabbed Megatron in the shoulder with his blade.

"Junkyard crap!" Optimus said elbowing Megatron.

Rachel had to laugh at least a little, she'd never heard Optimus use foul language, curse or anything close to it, but this was new for him, and it made Rachel smile. And then that moment ended.

"Decepticons!" called Megatron as Optimus beat him down.

The helicopter that had brought the car to the warehouse flew in, transforming. It crashed through some of the trees.

"No!" Rachel exclaimed as Starscream shot at them, transforming and crashing through trees.

"Come here, _boy_," Starscream said.

"Sam, run!" Rachel said pushing Sam forward, "Run!"

Sam broke into a run, Rachel right behind him. Starscream chased them, missing Rachel by inches. Starscream lost them, but Megatron picked up the chase. Optimus ran at Megatron, grabbing him and slamming him down sideways. Rachel climbed over a fallen tree and looked back for one second. Optimus forced Megatron down, punching him in the back of the leg. Optimus kneed Megatron in the face and then turned to face Starscream. He grabbed Starscream under his neck and threw him down. Megatron came up behind Optimus who was holding Starscream with one arm. With nothing else to do, Optimus kicked Megatron away. Rachel jumped over a fallen tree after Sam. Dirt exploded behind them. Rachel saw Optimus kick Starscream away from him. Rachel ran after Sam, they ducked behind another fallen tree.

"There is another source of Energon hidden on this planet, the boy could lead us to it," Megatron said throwing Optimus into the ground.

Megatron kicked Optimus in the face.

"Optimus!" Rachel and Sam screamed at the same time.

Optimus didn't have any time to recover, Starscream shot him repetitively, Megatron elbowed him, knocking Optimus down. As Optimus tried to stand up Megatron turned and shot Optimus at point-blank range, sending Optimus flying. Sam and Rachel ran from their hiding behind the tree, Rachel jumped a tree after Sam, quickly flattening herself against the ground as Optimus crashed next to them. Sam looked out from behind the tree, Rachel followed his gaze.

Megatron walked toward Optimus.

"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" Megatron said a blade extended on the end of his gun.

"Up! Get up!" Sam called to Optimus.

"You'll never stop at one! I'll take you all on!" Optimus said drawing both of his blades.

Optimus spun around and attacked the nearest approaching Decepticon, which happened to be Starscream. He slashed Starscream in the arm, and then pivoted to slash off multiple parts of the helicopter, including its arm. He then fought both Starscream and the helicopter at once. Rachel and Sam both looked form their hiding place in amazement. Rachel was impressed at the power of a Prime, she'd never seen the like of this. Yes, Megatron and Optimus one-on-one showed off his power, but _three_ Decepticons together? Never in her life. She smiled at Sam, who still looked a little too concerned. She wasn't completely care-free or necessarily _happy_ about this fight, just astounded, there were still three Decepticons, one being Megatron. Dirt flew up everywhere, as a result of missed shots at Optimus. The battlefield was clouded, but Rachel could clearly see the fight.

Optimus rolled across Starscream's back and turned to Megatron. One of his blades retracted as he stabbed Megatron in the back of the leg, pushing him to the ground and stabbing him in the shoulder. He punched Megatron in the face, punching him again, knocking Megatron away from him. He retracted his other blade and grabbed Starscream's arm, punching it off. He then hit Starscream with his own arm, pushing him away. Rachel was frightened as the helicopter tried to sneak up on Optimus, but Optimus already saw him. A hook-like weapon, glowing hot like his blades, replaced one of his hand as he jumped on the helicopter. Optimus stood on top of him, his other hand also turned into the hook-like blade and impaled the Decepticon in the face with both of them. He pulled both blades in opposite directions, pulling the Decepticon's face apart. Optimus jumped down from the Decepticon and with one hook-like blade, pulled the dead Decepticon over.

"Piece of tin," Optimus mumbled.

Rachel smiled, Optimus amazed her.

In one second everything changed.

"Sam, Rachel? Where are you?" Optimus called concern welling in his voice.

"Optimus! Behind you!" Rachel yelled, but she was too late.

Megatron impaled Optimus through the chest from behind.

"No!" Optimus yelled as Megatron pushed him higher above the ground.

"Oh, my God," Rachel whimpered, but was otherwise speechless.

"You're so weak!" Megatron said to Optimus.

Megatron shot his gun through Optimus, and then retracted the blade. All Rachel could do was stand there and watch in horror. Sam was quiet beside her. He may not know, but she did: Optimus wasn't going to live, not through that, she'd seen it before. Optimus collapsed a few feet away from them. Tears glazed Rachel's deep, blue eyes, as she stood up, seeing Optimus lying on the ground. Sam stood beside her.

"Run, run..." Optimus repeated to them.

Tears blurred Rachel's vision.

Optimus' eyes turned dark and he stopped moving, never to get up again.

Rachel could hardly believe this was happening, it all seemed like some horrible nightmare, everything happening in slow motion, but she knew this wasn't a dream, this was real.

"Rachel!" Sam called in a chocked voice starting to run.

Rachel ran after him until they came to a dirt road at the end of the forest. She could see the other Autobots driving up, transforming as they drove. Ratchet, Ironhide, and Sideswipe shot at Megatron and Starscream who had been advancing on Rachel and Sam.

"Autobots, attack!" yelled Ironhide.

Sam ran to Bumblebee, who drove up with the twins behind him, and got in the car.

"Bumblebee! Get them out of here!" Ratchet called.

It all seemed in slow motion for Rachel.

She knew what she was about to do was stupid, but she did it anyway. As Sam jumped into Bumblebee, Rachel flung herself to the ground. The Autobots quickly drove off Megatron and Starscream together, there were too many for him to fight alone. Bumblebee had already disappeared with Sam. As Ironhide turned, his eyes fell on Rachel.

"Rachel," he said in a scolding tone.

A new wave of tears welled up in her eyes. She laid face-down in the dirt, crying. She couldn't bare to get up, to go back to reality, to remember what had happened.

"Rachel," Ironhide said softly.

Rachel sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Are..you being..soft, Ironhide?" Rachel said choking on her own words.

She could have sworn Ratchet smirked, something he _never_ did, but it may have just been a smile.

"Never," Ironhide said standing up straight.

Rachel couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Rachel, why didn't you go with Sam and Bumblebee? It isn't safe here," Ratchet said.

"I couldn't...I couldn't," she couldn't get it out.

"Optimus," she finally managed, "Did you..."

"We know," Ironhide said downcast.

Rachel continued to sob. Ironhide transformed revving the engine to tell Rachel to get in.

"Its not safe here," Ratchet said.

Rachel nodded, "NEST..." she managed between sobs.

"Have already been contacted, don't worry, go," Ratchet said.

Rachel climbed into the Topkick and pulled the door shut.

**This wasn't a scene I really wanted to watch over and over to get it right, but I did. I had two options here, let Rachel go with sam, bee, mikaela, and leo and miss out on a Rachel-Ironhide scene or do the exact opposite, I did the latter because I noticed how much I had been keeping Rachel along for the ride and not really adding anything to the story. I would have also missed out on another Rachel-Ironhide scene in future that adds a bit of humor into the darker part of the movie.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wonderful, Optimus died, so where does that leave us: screwed town:D population: everyone on earth. Anyway, here's chapter six, let's make things a little lighter after that pretty dark part in the movie:) Warning to all: I am currently working on a ton of school projects at once(whos idea was it I have no clue) I might not be having enough time to write, sry:( here chapter 6:**

**Chapter 6**

Rachel gazed absentmindedly out the window, everything started to sink in. Without even noticing it she started to doze. Suddenly Ironhide swerved, hitting a pot-hole in the road, bouncing Rachel almost out of her seat.

"Holy crap!" she exclaimed in shock suddenly wide awake.

Then what had just happened just now hit her.

"You did that on purpose!" Rachel growled.

The engine revved and Rachel could have sworn it sounded like laughter.

"IRONHIDE!" Rachel growled.

She knew he had done it to try and cheer her up a little, it had worked, but only for a second.

After that, Ironhide drove in silence, not messing with Rachel. She sat with her head resting on her hand, blinking back tears.

_Now what?_ she thought.

Many thoughts, most of them dark, raced through her mind. This was too much like before, too much, and it hurt. A knot hardened in her chest as everything hit her full force, Optimus was dead, and there was no possible way to bring him back. Gone. Forever. She sighed, trying not to cry again. A year ago, during the battle in Mission City, she had told Sam if Optimus died Megatron would take over and kill them all, she never thought it would be reality. She hadn't noticed where Ironhide had been driving her until a green sign flashed by on the side of the road. _Welcome to New Jersey_ it read.

_New Jersey?_ Rachel thought, confused, but then it didn't matter anymore.

The sun was setting, painting the sky orange as its last rays peaked over the horizon, when they pulled into a military base in New Jersey. Ironhide drove down the tarmac, Ratchet, Sideswipe, and Jolt driving beside him. Rachel looked to the sky as a helicopter flew overhead, carrying Optimus' lifeless body. Rachel saw soldiers walking down the tarmac as the helicopter dropped Optimus onto the tarmac. Ironhide and the other Autobots drove up to their dead leader. Ironhide's door swung open as he stopped, Rachel took it as a good indicator to get out, so she did. She saw Lennox and Epps and other NEST soldiers looking at Optimus, their faces clouded in disbelief.

Then, military trucks sped out of the base toward the NEST team. Lennox did not look happy. As they got closer, the Autobots transformed, Ironhide standing next to Rachel protectively.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ironhide demanded drawing his cannons.

Jolt's hands crackled with electricity, menacingly, and Sideswipe's hands changed into his short blades.

"You dare point a gun at me! You want a piece of me! I will tear you apart!" Ironhide yelled aiming his cannons at the military trucks.

There was a lot of clamor, between the Autobots -Ironhide mostly- and the NEST soldiers yelling at the ones in the trucks. The trucks surrounded the NEST team and the Autobots.

"Drop your weapons! Drop your weapons!" Lennox yelled slamming his hands down on the hood of a military truck.

"Tell them to lower their weapons!" Lennox said to a soldier who got out of the truck.

"Tell them first," the soldier replied, pointing at the Autobots.

"Tell them to lower their weapons!" Lennox yelled.

"Major, there's nothing I can do, talk to him," the soldier said.

Rachel's depression turned to fury as Galloway stepped out of one of the military trucks.

"Your NEST team's deactivated, Major," Galloway said.

Lennox looked just as furious as Rachel. Rachel leaned on Ironhide's leg, watching everything unfold.

"You are to cease anti-Decepticon operation and return to Diego Garcia, pending further orders," Galloway said.

"No, we take our orders directly from Chairman Morshower, sir," Lennox said his voice edging with anger.

"We'll I'll see your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and raise you a President of the United States. I have operational command now," Galloway said drawing out a paper.

Rachel was furious, the government _obviously_ had no clue what was going on here. To let this man command everything, was completely wrong. He knew nothing about what was going on, _nothing_!This man was the most idiotic dumb-ass Rachel had ever seen, she'd seen many, but he had to be the worst.

_I am a bit scared for him though, Ironhide's mostly in charge now and I don't think he'll show the same _understanding_ to him as Optimus would,_ Rachel thought.

"An alien blood feud has been brought to our shores for which our soldiers are paying the price," Galloway said.

"The secret is out!" Galloway said pointing to the Autobots, but his finger was pointed at Sideswipe who recoiled aggravated.

Ironhide glared at the man over his shoulder. Rachel put a hand on Ironhide's leg.

"Easy," she whispered.

Ironhide seemed to catch her joke, but still glared at Galloway.

"This is our war now, and we will win it as we always have, with a coordinated military strategy," Galloway said.

"This _fool_ is terribly misinformed," Ratchet said.

Rachel smiled, in her mind agreeing with the Autobot.

"You're gonna need every asset that you've got," Lennox insisted, pointing at the Autobots.

"What we need is to draw battle plans while we explore every possible diplomatic solution," Galloway said.

"Like what, handing over the kid?" Lennox said.

Even though it was a rhetorical question, Galloway answered.

"All options are being considered," he said darkly.

Rachel had no clue who "the kid" was, but it had to be either her or Sam. She was also confused why they would be handed over, and to whom they would be handed to. Lennox looked downright enraged as he followed Galloway as he walked back to the truck.

"Whatever the Decepticons are after, this is just the start," a soldier said.

"There _is_ no negotiating with them," Lennox insisted to Galloway.

"I'm ordering you to stand down!" Galloway said angrily.

"Get your assets back to base! And take that pile of scrap metal back to Diego Garcia," Galloway said.

Rachel was around Optimus and grabbed Galloway's arm before he could retreat into the truck, and also before Ironhide or any other Autobot could stop her. She'd had enough.

"Take your hand off me," Galloway told her throwing his arm back.

"Rachel..." Ironhide said.

Rachel ignored Ironhide and let go of Galloway, but held him there with her glare.

"That 'pile of scrap metal'," Rachel shot, gesturing to Optimus, "saved your pathetic life. I know you can't begin to value that because you're to _selfish_ to understand. I suggest you listen to these soldiers because I know one thing, they know much more about what's going on here than you do, _sir_."

"Really?" Galloway insisted.

Rachel knew most government officials wouldn't back down from a word fight, but this one Rachel knew she would win.

"If you know so much as to what's going on here, then tell me which Autobot do you think -I'm sorry- _know_ is in charge now," Rachel said angrily.

Galloway was silent. Rachel humphed.

"Of course you don't, because, unlike these soldiers, you don't _care. _We're like a family here, _sir,_ but I'm sure you wouldn't understand that either. You are just one of those people who cares more about the money rather than the people. I think it would be wise to know that Ironhide," Rachel said gesturing to Ironhide, "is now mostly in charge, since _I_ know that he is not as understanding and patient -no offense, Ironhide- as Optimus was. The Autobots just lost their leader, their friend, and right now they don't have anyone's orders to follow except their own. And I don't think the Autobots' second-in-command, or anyone here, is particularly _happy _with you right now."

Rachel would have normally held her tongue, but to, not only be mean toward Lennox, but disrespect Optimus was way out of line.

"Are you a part of NEST?" Galloway asked.

"I was, but -after the fact we just got disbanded- if you're in charge now I _would_ quit. However, I'm not like that, I wouldn't abandon my _family_," Rachel said.

"Rachel..." Lennox said in disbelief.

Galloway got back in the truck and they drove off. Rachel's anger subsided, and her depression was back, hitting her full force as she walked back to Ironhide.

"I really don't like that dude, he's an _ass_hole," Epps said.

"_Autobots, report to hangar for transport,"_ came over an intercom.

"Ironhide, we should leave this planet," Ratchet said.

"That's _not _what Optimus would want," Ironhide replied.

As Rachel's eyes fell over Optimus, tears formed, again, in her eyes. Memories from her past, dark memories, clouded her head, so that she didn't notice Lennox walking up to her.

"Rachel," Lennox said.

Rachel looked at him.

"Are you alright?" Lennox asked, concerned.

Rachel returned her gaze the the ground, "It's my fault," she mumbled to herself.

Lennox heard her, though, "Rachel it's not your fault," he said.

"Yes it _is_, Lennox, he came to protect us, and now he's dead," Rachel said looking at Lennox.

"'Us'?" Lennox asked.

"Sam and I."

"You were with Sam?"

"I was, but he went with Bumblebee and the twins. Why was Galloway wanting to 'hand him over' and to who? What, did I miss something?" Rachel asked.

"In the shortest version, a Decepticon hacked the broadcasting system and demanded we hand over Sam or they would destroy us all. Everyone in the world saw it," Lennox said. "CIA, FBI, and Interpol are all looking for Sam, so if you know where he is-"

"I don't."

"Good."

After Lennox walked away, Rachel turned to Ironhide.

"I have to find Sam," she said. "Do you know where Bumblebee is?"

"Yes, Rachel, but-"

"I have to get to Sam, Ironhide, he could be in danger," Rachel said.

"Rachel, it's dangerous-"

"I don't care!"

She hadn't meant to yell, but her sadness and remaining anger toward the government had been waiting to escape.

"I'm sorry, Ironhide, I just want to find Sam and make sure he's safe. I couldn't live with myself if..." Rachel couldn't finish.

Ironhide nodded, "Fine," he humphed.

Rachel smiled at him as he transformed.

**Yay, Dushe in a Suit, aka Galloway, just _had_ to make things worse than they already were. Typical. Anyway, I was contemplating whether to put Rachel's pissed off scene with Dushe in a Suit then I watched DOTM and saw what Mearing did and just got so pissed I decided "what the heck he deserves it" and put the scene in there. If I were Galloway I wouldn't want piss off Ironhide, I don't think it would end well. Alright, chapter 7 coming soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Where is Ironhide taking Rachel? To Sam of course, where is Sam? Well, that's never clarified in the movie, so... Anyway, Chapter 7, warning this chapter is super long, I tried to find places to split it before I did, but it came out horrible, so here Chapter 7:**

**Chapter 7**

Ironhide drove, darkness quickly covering the sky. Rachel laid across the backseats, trying to sleep. Her racing thoughts had kept her from sleeping, but now her lack of sleep caught up with her. She quickly feel into a troubled sleep, dark scenes from her past and now replaying in her head. Rachel couldn't tell how much time had passed, hours seemed like minutes in her nightmares, even if the memories were horrible. Rachel woke startled as the Topkick suddenly came to a stop, throwing her to the floorboard.

Rachel groaned.

"Was that necessary?" she growled.

She tried, unsuccessfully at first, to get off of the floorboard, then finally she managed to squeeze herself out between the two rows of seats. She looked out of the window, trying to see where they were, but all she could see in the darkness was the outline of a few house-like structures. Rachel opened the door and climbed out.

She turned to face the Topkick.

"Well?" she asked.

The headlights suddenly turned on, temporarily blinding Rachel.

"Ironhide!" she exclaimed rubbing her eyes.

When she regained her sight, she saw Sam walking to an iron gate between two walls.

"Sam!" Rachel called in a low voice.

Sam turned to see her, "Rachel? What-?"

"Iron-" Rachel stopped as she noticed the Autobot had gone. "Ironhide drove me here, but I guess he needed to get back to NEST."

Sam's face looked grim.

"Sam, are you alright?" Rachel asked, knowing how he felt. "Sam, I can see that you're worrying, but NEST has Optimus at least."

"He's still dead, and there's no way to bring him back."

"I know," Rachel said casting her gaze to the ground.

Rachel followed Sam through the iron gate to a courtyard where Bumblebee and Mikaela sat. Mikaela stood and held Sam tightly in her embrace.

"There's nothing that you could have done," she said to Sam.

Rachel walked past them to Bumblebee.

"Bee? You alright?" Rachel asked.

The young Autobot nodded, he looked at the ground. Sam walked up to them, Mikaela shortly behind him.

"Bee, if you hate me, I understand," Sam said looking at the ground.

Bumblebee looked away from Sam, his eyes sad.

"I messed up, I'm sorry," Sam said.

Sam sat on the arm of a chair Mikaela was sitting in. By the light of the small fire near her Rachel could see Sam's eyes were red and swollen, as if he'd been crying all day. Bumblebee's radio shifted stations.

"_Young fella, you are the person I care about most in my life. If there's anything you need, I won't be far away,_" Bumblebee said.

A lump formed in Rachel's throat as she held back more tears.

"He's dead because of me. He came here to protect me and he's dead," Sam said.

Bumblebee looked at Sam, "_There's some things you just can't change. So his sacrifice would not have been in vain, hallelujah!"_

"I'm gonna make it right, I'm going to turn myself in," Sam said.

Rachel looked at him in shock.

"_We...we've got to stick together!_" Bee said, transforming.

"You're not going to do that," Mikaela said sitting down in the chair.

"Yes I am," Sam said.

"Sam, what do you think that would solve?" Rachel asked.

The Camaro's engine revved and Bumblebee gently nudged Sam from behind. Sam leaned on the Camaro.

"_Everything we've worked for will be wiped out in one day!_" Bee's radio said.

Something struck in Rachel's head at that moment.

"Energon," Rachel mumbled mostly to herself.

"Ener-what?" Sam asked noticing Rachel's words.

"Energon," Rachel repeated.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

Mikaela leaned in to their conversation, also interested.

"It's...well, it's kind of hard to explain..." Rachel said.

Sam and Mikaela looked at her, their eyes seeming to push her.

"You know how cars run on gas?" Rachel asked though it was more of a rhetorical question. "Well, the Autobots and Decepticons run on Energon. Without it they'll go into a sort of coma, unless they get more."

Sam seemed to take much interest in this, also seeming to know what Rachel was implying.

"Where could we find some?" Sam asked.

Rachel shrugged, but then an idea hit her. Her eyes wide she looked at Sam.

"Megatron-" she started but Sam caught her idea as soon as she said it.

He turned to the Autobot twins Rachel had seen after Shanghai and with Sam and Bumblebee when they fled Megatron.

"You two..." Sam said.

"Huh?" they both replied, caught off-guard.

"Hey, you know the glyphs? These? The symbols that have been rattling around in my head?" Sam said showing them a Cybertronian symbol drawn in permanent marker on his forearm.

Rachel wondered how he'd known that.

"Who! That's old school, yo. That's like... That's Cybertronian," the green Autobot said.

"That's some serious stuff right there," said the red one.

Rachel smiled, rolling her eyes, even she knew that the symbols were Cybertronian.

"They've gotta mean something like a message or like a map! Like a map to an Energon source!" Sam exclaimed a little too fast. "Can you read this?" he asked the twins.

"Uhhh... Read? No...we don't really do much reading...no so much," the red Autobot said.

Rachel had to hold back her laughter, Autobots that didn't read, it was sort of sad in a sense. However, she knew it could also mean they didn't necessarily read that _particular_ Cybertronian. She hardly recognized it herself, but it _did_ seem vaguely familiar, she knew she'd seen it _somewhere_.

"Well, if you can't read it then we've got to find someone who can," Sam said.

Sam's friend that had been with them since they fled the college -and who's presence Rachel hadn't noticed was gone until now- walked up right in between the twins.

"Oh, look who cam sashaying back!" the green Autobot jeered at Sam's friend, jerking a thumb at him.

"Hair growin' like a Chia Pet. Look at him," the red one mocked.

Rachel again had to hold back her laughter.

"I had a bit of a mild panic attack earlier, alright?" Sam's friend said.

"That's 'cause you're a pussy," the red Autobot said.

The twins laughed and bumped fists.

"I think I'm allowed that, considering what I've been through," Sam's friend said.

Rachel rolled her eyes.

_What _you've_ been through. That's pretty selfish, just think about poor Sam, and the Autobots, not to mention, _Rachel thought.

"I heard you have a problem, I think I know someone who can help," Sam's friend said.

Sam scoffed, "Who?"

"Robo-Warrior," Sam's friend said.

As they were driving to New York, Rachel kept thinking how dumb this all sounded. She sat in the back of Bumblebee with Mikaela while Sam and his friend- who's name she learned was Leo- sat in the front seats.

"How do we even know this _'Robo-Warrior'_ guy even knows this? I'd be pretty shocked if he even knew anything, not to mention this is sort-of messing with the classified nature of the Autobots," Rachel asked.

Leo looked at her.

Rachel shrugged, "I'm just saying, as a member of NEST, are we really going to trust this guy? If he even exists."

"This guy, Robo-Warrior, everything about anything alien he's supposed to know," Leo said.

"Supposed to?" Rachel said rhetorically.

"One time we revenge-hacked his site and maybe I saw some of you're alien drawings or whatever," Leo said.

"Maybe? Honestly, did you or didn't you? I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but this _is_ a matter of national security. Besides, how do you even know where he lives?" Rachel asked.

Bumblebee, followed by the twins, pulled to the side of a road in front of a deli. Bee stopped and Rachel followed Mikaela out. Sam had put a baseball cap on, considering he was wanted. Rachel followed him and Mikaela. Leo walked up from the other side of Bumblebee.

"This is it, yep. Deli. Good front," Leo said walking up to the door. "Alright, wait here, I'll give you the go/no go, alright?"

Rachel watched Leo walk into the deli.

"Honestly, Sam, how in the world did you meet this guy?" she asked.

"He's my roommate," Sam said flatly.

Rachel laughed.

"Let's go," Sam said slowly walking through the deli door.

"Well, alright, then," Rachel said sarcastically, following him in.

"It's him! It's him! That's the guy right there! That's him!" Leo exclaimed pointing at the man behind the counter.

_No way,_ Rachel thought, stopping dead in her tracks.

"No," the man behind the counter said in disbelief as he saw Sam.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sam said.

"Alright! Meat store's closed! Everybody out!" the man yelled.

Agent Simmons of Sector Seven stood behind that counter. Rachel couldn't believe her eyes, she'd been expecting some geeky nerd that was alien obsessed and spent more time on his computer than outside, but, no, it was Simmons. Of all the people she hated in this world she was depending on him, though she had to admit it was better than having to depend on Galloway, she'd rather kill herself than that.

"Wait a minute, you _know_ this guy?" Leo asked Sam.

"Yeah, we're old friends," Sam said.

"'_Old friends'_ You're the case that shut down Sector Seven, got the kibosh disbanded. No more security clearance, no retirement, no nothing," Simmons said.

Everyone had cleared the deli.

"All 'cause of you, and you're little criminal girlfriends, look at them now, so mature," Simmons said looking at Mikaela and Rachel.

"Moron! Where's the whitefish!" a lady yelled from the back.

"Hey! Don't touch me with the pig!" a man yelled as another man pushed a hanging dead pig past him.

Rachel raised her eyebrows, interested to see what would happen as Simmons looked at the people in the back.

"Yakov!" Simmons yelled.

"What!" the man that was touched by the pig said.

"You don't get Christmas bonuses standing around!" Simmons said. "You want those new teeth you saw in SkyMall?"

"It's my dream," Yakov replied.

"Help her out!" Simmons said.

"You live with your mama?" Mikaela asked scornfully.

"No, my mama lives with me, it's a big difference. They got you're face all over the news alien boy," Simmons said, motioning to a TV where Sam's picture had popped up on the news.

"Yeah, I know," Sam said.

"And NBE One, still kickin', huh? How did that happen? Don't answer. I don't know what you're hiding, but I don't want anything to do with it. So, good-bye, you never saw me. I got bagels to schemer. Vanish!" Simmons said.

"Wait, wait. Can you give me five seconds. Look, hold on, I need your help," Sam said.

"Oh, you need _my_ help," Simmons said angrily.

"I need..." Sam got annoyed with the baseball hat and yanked it from his head. "Look, I am slowly loosing my mind. Okay, I had a little crab-bot plunged a device deep into the soft tissues of my brain and started projecting little alien symbols like a freaking home movie!" Sam said annoyed, making various hand motions to illustrate what happened.

"And, on top of that, I'm a wanted fugitive! So you think you've got it rough?" Sam asked angry.

"You said it projected images off your brain?" Simmons asked.

"Right," Sam said.

"Meat locker, now!" Simmons said motioning to the freezer behind him.

They followed Simmons into the meat freezer, where dead pigs and goats hung from the ceiling.

"Dead pigs," Leo said.

"Yuk!" Mikaela exclaimed.

Simmons knelt on the ground over a metal trap door in the floor.

"What you're about to see is top-secret, do _not_ tell my mother," Simmons said.

Simmons opened the door to reveal a ladder leading ten-feet down.

"Swine flu. Not good," Leo said.

"Now you know, next time you eat a goat or a pig, there's a story behind it, a sad little story," Simmons said climbing down the ladder.

Rachel followed Mikaela down the ladder after Sam and Leo had gone down with Simmons. There was large, brightly-lit room at the bottom. Some parts were stacked to the ceiling with papers and boxes. There were many items -mostly papers- strewn everywhere.

"Files, files, we're talking about symbols," Simmons said searching through a file cabinet.

Rachel looked all around the room, wondering what the heck everything in there -all the papers and boxes- were.

"Okay, Cube-brain," Simmons said to Sam.

He flipped open a manila folder, "Any of these look like the symbols you saw?"

Sam and Rachel both looked at the picture in the folder Simmons held.

"Where'd you get these?" Sam asked.

"Before I got fired, I poaches S-7's crown jewel, over seventy-five years of alien research, which points to one inescapable fact. The Transformers, they've been here a long, long time," Simmons said climbing a pile of boxes and papers using file cabinet drawers.

_Transformers? He must be talking about the Autobots and Decepticons,_ Rachel thought.

It never occurred to her to call them anything else.

"How do I know?" Simmons said tossing a box down to Leo. "Archaeologists found these unexplained markings in ancient ruins all over the world."

Simmons climbed down and started slapping pictures down on a table in the room.

"China. Egypt. Greece. Shot in 1932," he said projecting a video on the wall with a projector. "these the symbols you're seeing in your head?"

"Yeah," Sam said.

"Same ones over here, right?" Simmons said pointing to the pictures. "So, tell me, how did they end up all drawing the same thing? Huh? Aliens. And I think some of them stayed."

"Check this out," Simmons said picking up another folder labeled "Project Black Knife." "Project Black Knife, robots, in disguise, hiding here all along," he said picking up black-and-white pictures of various vehicles and a plane.

Rachel looked at the pictures and listened intently, this was completely fascinating to her.

"We detected radioactive signatures all across the country. I pleaded, on my knees, with S-7 to investigate it, but they said the readings were infinitesimal, that I was obsessed!" Simmons said slamming his fist on the table.

"Me. Could you imagine that?" Simmons asked.

"Yeah," Sam said casting a quick look at Rachel, she nodded, "Megatron said there was another source of Energon here."

"On Earth?" Simmons asked.

"On Earth."

"Another source?" Simmons asked.

"Okay, and that these symbols, maps in my head, would lead him there," Sam continued.

"You talk to your Autobot friends about this?" Simmons asked.

Again Sam looked to Rachel, who gave him a glance to tell him to go on.

"No, no, no, the source is before them," Sam said. "Whatever the Energon source is it predates them. It's before them."

"So, it comes before them?" Simmons said.

"Correct," Sam said.

"Well, then we're porked, unless we can talk to a Decepticon. I mean, I'm not on speaking terms with them," Simmons laughed.

Rachel looked at Mikaela, that box she had mentioned earlier...

"Actually, I am," Mikaela said.

Rachel followed Sam and Mikaela out of the room to Bumblebee, who was still parked outside, the twins behind him. Mikaela picked the metal box up out of Bee's trunk. Rachel followed them back into the room under the freezer where Simmons and Leo were waiting. Mikaela sat the box down on the table.

"Let me out!" came a voice from inside the box.

Everyone watched the box as Mikaela started to open it.

"This is going to be a bit sad," Mikaela said.

"Open it," Sam said.

Mikaela opened the box and something jumped out of it. Rachel nearly fell over backwards into Simmons as the thing jumped out at her. Everyone screamed.

"I will have so many Decepticons on your butt!" the Decepticon yelled.

Rachel saw the Decepticon, it was no more than a foot tall, it was blue it had wheels for shoulders and feet. A chain was around it's neck and one of its eyes looked like it had been injured.

"Hey! Behave!" Mikaela threatened holding a blow-torch near the Decepticon.

"What is that, a Decepticon?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Mikaela replied.

"And, you're training him?" Sam said.

"I'm trying to," Mikaela said.

"Get me off of this leash," the Decepticon mumbled, chewing on the chain around it's neck.

"I spent my whole adult life combing the planet for aliens, and you're carrying one around in your purse like a little Chihuahua," Simmons said.

The Decepticon stopped gnawing on the chain around its neck and looked at Simmons.

"You want a throwdown you pubic 'fro-head?" the Decepticon said to Simmons.

Mikaela gave the Decepticon puppy-dog eyes, "I'm sorry," she crooned in a voice like she was talking to a child. "I'm so sorry about your eye, you know, but if you're a good boy..."

"Uh-huh," the Decepticon said.

"Then I'm not gonna torch your other eye, okay? I'm not gonna torch it. Just tell me what these symbols are, please," Mikaela continued, pointing at the pictures.

The Decepticon knelt down, looking at the pictures. The Decepticon studied the photos for a second and then stood up, snapping his fingers.

"Oh, I know that! That's the language of the Primes!" he said pointing at the symbols.

Rachel looked at him in shock, she'd known she knew those symbols from somewhere.

_Language of the Primes? Optimus, _she thought. _I've seen those on Optimus._

"I don't read it, but these guys..." he said motioning to the pictures. "Where the frick did you get photos of these guys?"

"Is this they?" Sam asked holding up a few pictures.

"Yeah. Seekers, pal. The oldest of the old. They've been here for thousands of years looking for something. I don't know what, nobody tells me nothin', but they'll translate those symbols for you, and I know where to find them," the Decepticon said.

"Show us," Simmons said smiling.

"Yeah," the Decepticon said cracking his knuckles.

He turned around to where Simmons had a map of the U.S on the wall. The Decepticon shot green lasers on various places on the map.

"The closest one's in Washington," Simmons said.

"Great," Rachel said. "Let's go."

They all climbed into Bumblebee and the Camaro pulled away from the deli. Rachel wasn't to thrilled about the five hour ride to D.C riding in between Leo and Mikaela. Though, she was happy that they were getting somewhere with these symbols, but she still didn't know what Sam wanted to accomplish. Something hit her as Simmons told them what happened after Sector Seven got disbanded.

"By the way, Simmons, while you were curing meat in a deli, I got my very own 'do-whatever-I-want-and-get-away-with-it-badge'," Rachel said mockingly.

She showed him her NEST ID badge. Simmons laughed.

"Little lady, you're still a felon," he said.

She thought he might be joking, she sat back with a laugh.

"Whatever you say."

Five hours later they arrived at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Bumblebee and the twins pulled into the B3 row in the parking lot. Rachel noticed the time.

"Guys, you know the museum is about to close, right?" Rachel pointed out.

"Exactly," Simmons said getting out of the car.

Simmons looked through binoculars at the museum.

"Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, land of dreams in there," he said. "All I ever wanted to be was an astronaut."

Simmons pulled off his pants and threw them to Sam.

"Hold those," he said.

"What is that?" Sam said horrified.

"What? I wear them when I'm in a funk. So does Giambi, Jeter, it's a baseball thing," Simmons said.

Rachel couldn't see, she didn't _want_ to see. In stead she looked to license plates on the twins' cars. "SKIDS" read the green one and "MUDFLAP" read the one on the red car. She guessed those were their names, though, she never learned them at NEST.

"Okay," Simmons said pulling a body suit from the top of Bumblebee. "Watches synchronized sharp mind and empty bladder."

Rachel rolled her eyes, leaning on Bumblebee, Sam seemed equally irritated.

"You get caught, demand an attorney and don't _ever_ say my name," Simmons said zipping up the suit.

"Okay, take one of these pills slip it under your tongue," Simmons said throwing a bottle of pills to Sam. "It's the high-concentrate polymer they put in Oreo cookies, tricks the polygraph every time."

Rachel sighed, she just wanted to go in, get what they needed and get out, but Simmons was making that hard. _Really, really_ hard. She just now noticed the small box Simmons had placed on top of Bumblebee's roof.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road," Simmons said pulling a tazer from the box.

"Whoa! Whoa! No, listen, I can't do this," Leo said freaking out at sight of the taser. "I'm not some sort of alien bounty hunter, guys. I'm not gonna do this. Guards have guns, I don't want to die."

Simmons pushed Leo up against Skids' car, "Kid. Kid. Kid," Simmons said.

"You compromise, this mission you are dead to me. Now look into my eyes and tighten up that sphincter."

Rachel thought this "mission" -as Simmons called it- was going to go bad before it even started. She hid in a crook of one of the many planes in the amazing museum. She knew Leo and Simmons were taking out guards while she, Sam and Mikaela concealed themselves in planes. She wasn't very enlightened as the intercom came on.

"_The museum is now closing."_

_Great, if we get caught now we'll be in trouble, big trouble,_ she thought.

A few minutes she saw Simmons dragging Leo from the men's bathroom near-by.

"You are an amateur,man, a rank amateur," Simmons said.

On that note, Rachel hopped down from the plane and followed Simmons. Leo was convulsing, Rachel shook her head, he must have shocked himself with the taser. Rachel ran to meet up with Sam and Mikaela who were running toward Simmons. Sam, Mikaela and Simmons knelt down, Mikaela opening the metal box containing the Decepticon and Sam unzipping a bag.

"We just downed five guards, five guards, you get your stuff and get out of here," Simmons said to Sam.

"Give me a second here," Sam said searching through the bag.

Mikaela opened the box and the Decepticon came out.

"Be good," Mikaela threatened.

"I'm claustrophobic!" the Decepticon exclaimed.

Rachel looked back at Sam, he had a vile with which he pulled a shard out of of with tweezers. She knew it must be the piece of the AllSpark Mikaela had said Sam had given her. Simmons had pulled out an odd-looking device. The Decepticon transformed into a remote control truck and drove down the aisles between the many planes in the museum. Simmons went one way, Rachel, Sam and Mikaela in another.

"Look, look, follow him, follow him, he knows where he's going," Mikaela told Sam.

The Decepticon picked up speed and the three had to run to keep up with him.

"He knows something!" Mikaela exclaimed.

"What?" Sam asked.

"He knows something!" Mikaela said again.

They ran around a giant black plane Rachel didn't acknowledge at first. Simmons met them around the front, holding his device up at the plane, which sat on the ground. Then Rachel took note of the plane, a big, Lockheed SR-71.

"You got what I got?" Simmons exclaimed.

"Yeah," Sam replied.

"Blackbird," Simmons said.

The Decepticon transformed.

"Oh, there he is. This guy's a legend like...like the Chairman of the Board! Yo, freshman, point the shard, and watch the magic happen," the Decepticon said to Sam.

Sam had ducked under the railing surrounding the jet and held up the shard to the jet. The shard flew at the jet. Rachel recoiled as the shard flew from Sam's grasp into the plane and blue electricity shot across the plane. Rachel, Sam, and Mikaela ran under the plane, searching for a sign. When Rachel saw it, her eyes widened.

"Oh, shit," Mikaela -who was next to Rachel- mumbled as she too saw the sign. "It's a Decepticon!"

There was silence -well almost silence- humming from the jet's engines filled the air.

"Behind the MiG now!" Simmons yelled.

Rachel ran from under the Blackbird as it started to transform. She ran and slid under a plane where Simmons and Leo were hiding. Mikaela and Sam soon ran under as well. Rachel watched as the Decepticon transformed with jerky and slow movements. When he stood up, or rather was slightly haunched over, he was at least fifty feet tall.

"What sort of hideous mausoleum is this?" the Decepticon said in an English-accented voice.

"Answer me pawns and knaves!" he yelled hitting a plane hanging in front of him. "Show yourselves or suffer my infinite wrath!"

Rachel and the others emerged from their hiding spot and Rachel got a better look at the Decepticon. He looked older than other Transformers -as Simmons called them- she'd seen. With every movement he made, some part of him creaked and he used his front landing gear like a cane.

"You little spinal-cord-based organisms!" he said pointing a finger at them, hitting a big metal object hanging from the ceiling.

"Bugger it!" he cursed as the metal object swung back and hit him in the face.

The object snapped from cords holding it to the ceiling and fell to the floor, rolling by Sam. Rachel kept her eyes on the Decepticon.

"Behold! The eternal glory of Jetfire, prepare for remote systems override!" the Decepticon -now called Jetfire- said pointing his landing gear cane at the back of the museum.

"I tell ya, this guy did not age well," the RC truck Decepticon said.

"I don't think he's gonna hurt us," Mikaela said.

Rachel watched as Jetfire made his way to the back of the museum.

"I command these doors to open!" he said. "Fire! I said _fire_!"

A missile shot from his hand, but bounced off the doors and flew back toward Rachel and the others.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Sam exclaimed.

"Bollocks! Damn these worthless parts!" Jetfire cursed slamming into the doors, crushing them.

He proceeded to walk outside.

"Wait a second!" Sam called, running after Jetfire who hobbled outside.

Rachel ran after Sam.

Rachel ran down the giant field behind the museum where dozens of planes were parked. Simmons and Mikaela ran behind her.

"The museum's going to be very angry, _very_ angry," Simmons said.

Rachel followed Sam between a row of planes, she heard the roar of an engine and looked back to see Bumblebee and the twins speeding down the field.

"We gotta catch that plane," Simmons said.

"Right. I'm on a mission," Jetfire said.

"Wait!" Rachel yelled.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! Jetfire!" Sam yelled to Jetfire.

"What do you want?" Jetfire said turning to them.

"Look, we just want to talk!" Sam said.

"I've no time to talk, I'm on a mission!" Jetfire said.

"I'm a mercenary doom-bringer! What planet am I on?" Jetfire asked.

"Earth," Sam said.

"Earth? Terrible name for a planet, might as well call it 'Dirt', planet 'Dirt'," Jetfire said leaning down to face them. "Tell me, is that robot civil war still going on? Who's winning?" Jetfire said quickly changing subjects.

"The Decepticons," Rachel said.

Jetfire made a noise of disgust, "Well, I changed sides to the Autobots."

"What do you mean, changed sides?" Sam asked.

"It's a choice, it's an intensely personal decision. So much negativity. Who wants to live a life filled with hate?" Jetfire said.

"You mean you don't have to work for those miserable freaking Decepticons?" the RC truck Decepticon said.

"If Decepticons had their way, they'd destroy the whole universe," Jetfire said.

"I'm changing sides. I'm changing sides too, warrior goddess," the RC truck said crawling on his hands and knees to Mikaela.

Rachel's eyes widened as the Decepticon got on Mikaela's leg.

"Who's your little Autobot?" the RC truck said.

"Aw, you're cute," Mikaela said.

Rachel raised her eyebrows as the Decepticon humped Mikaela's leg.

"Wow," Rachel said in shock. "That's...disturbing."

"Name's Wheelie, say my name, say my name," the RC truck -now known as Wheelie- said.

Sam looked at Mikaela, "What are you allowing to happen to your foot just now?"

A smug look came over Mikaela's face, "At least he's faithful, Sam," she mocked.

"Yeah, well, he's faithful and he's nude and he's perverted," Sam said pointing at Wheelie.

"Can you just...Can you stop," Sam said angrily at Wheelie kicking him off Mikaela's leg.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Wheelie exclaimed falling over.

"It's just something to think about...I won't argue with- What were you saying?" Sam said to Mikaela and then to Jetfire.

"I told you my name was Jetfire! So stop judging me!" Jetfire yelled hitting the ground in front of them, bending down to look at them.

Rachel fell over backwards as did everyone else, trying not to be squished.

"Wait, wait, wait!" everyone yelled.

"I have issues of my own! And it started with my mother! My ancestors have been here for centuries. My father, why he was a wheel, the_ first_ wheel," Jetfire said pointing a finger at them. "Do you know what he transformed into?"

Rachel looked at Simmons and Leo.

"No," they said.

"Nothing! But he did so with honor, dignity, damn it!" Jetfire raged.

Suddenly Jetfire's landing parachute shot out from behind him, pulling him to the ground.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" all of them exclaimed.

Rachel got up and ran to where Jetfire had fallen.

Jetfire grumbled.

"Bollocks," he cursed. "My boosters are fried!"

"I think we can help each other. You know things I don't know, I know things you don't know, I do," Sam said to Jetfire.

"I don't think he knows anything. Honestly, I don't," Leo said to Sam.

Rachel glared at Leo, and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut up," she said.

Sam drew out a dagger and started to draw the Cybertronian symbols in the dirt. Rachel watched as Sam depicted the symbols perfectly, she watched in amazement.

"I could do this all day, it comes in waves, these vivid symbols," Sam said.

Rachel looked at him as he looked up to Jetfire.

"They're symbols, but they're in my mind. You see, all of this is in my mind and Megatron wants what's in my mind. Him and someone called the Fallen," Sam said throwing the dagger blade-first into the dirt.

"The Fallen! I know him!" exclaimed Jetfire.

Rachel looked up in shock, hoping to learn something about this Decepticon that was hunting them.

"He left me here to rust! The original Decepticon, he's terrible to work for, it's always apocalypse, chaos, crisis," Jetfire said.

"These transcriptions, they were part of my mission, the Fallen's search. I remember now, for the Dagger's Tip, and..and the key!" Jetfire said his words picking up speed.

"Hold on, slow down. The Dagger's Tip? They key? What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

Rachel had a bad feeling as Jetfire leaned over them, they were all standing in a cluster now.

"No time to explain. Hold on everybody! Stay still or you'll die!" Jetfire yelled.

Blue electricity raced between his hands and he stood over them, putting his hands on either side of them. Rachel doubled over holding on to Mikaela, and Sam holding on to Rachel. Everything went black around Rachel.

**Couple things: Firstly, oookay, Jetfire is totally A.D.H.D(no offense to anyone) so what happened to everyone? Who knows right now, more in chapter 8. Secondly, we see that Ironhide tries really hard to annoy Rachel. Thirdly, you've no idea(unless you've written a fanfic for transformers before the second movie) how hard it is not to call them Transformers until Simmons' line(unless you aren't like me and wanted to keep that up in the air). Fourthly, how did Leo(yes I started calling him by his name, God, he's annoying) know where Simmons lived? O.o *laughs* and honestly, you can't trust people on the internet...wait. Fifthly, I am _totally_ going to go back to D.C one day and going to the Air and Space museum just so I can look at that Blackbird and go: JETFIRE! :) Chapter 8 coming your way soon, guys...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry guys, Ive been busier over break than I expected. So, now we are gonna learn just what happened to Rachel and company. Lol here you go, Chapter 8**

**Chapter 8**

For a split second everything was dark and then the world tilted around Rachel as she flew through the air. She screamed as the ground dropped below her, she started to fall, hoping she wouldn't break anything or worse, die. She landed, and she landed on something hard. She groaned, every part of her body hurting. Then she realized what she landed on.

"Oh, Bee, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed seeing the Autobot under her.

She pushed herself off Bumblebee, and rolled on to the ground.

"You okay, Bee?" she asked.

Bee made a positive noise and Rachel took it as a "yes."

She laid on her back in the sand, for it was yellow-brown sand on the ground. The second thing she realized was the scorching heat.

"Oh, God," she groaned pushing herself up.

She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out where they were. She looked around for only a few seconds and realized they were in a desert. There were random outcroppings of rock scattered around the desert floor. Then she saw Sam he was groaning in pain and holding his right hand, which Rachel noticed looked severely burned. She got up, her legs trembling, and ran over to him.

"Sam!" she called. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so," Sam called back.

She got nearer to him, she saw his hand_ was_ burned, and it wasn't good.

"Sam!" Rachel heard Mikaela yell, it sounded further away.

"Where are we? Simmons!" Sam called back.

"Hey! Yeah!" Simmons called back from on top of dune.

Rachel ran after Sam as they ran toward Mikaela and Leo.

"You guys okay?" Sam called.

"Yep!" Mikaela called back.

"Hey! I think we're in Vegas!" Leo yelled.

Rachel rolled her eyes

They climbed up a outcropping of rock where Jetfire was standing. Simmons met them up there. Rachel watched as Mikaela wrapped Sam's injured hand with a piece of cloth.

"That really, really hurt. You're just lucky that I didn't get hurt. People could have gotten killed, okay? And if I would gotten hurt you would have heard from my-" Simmons said to Jetfire.

"Oh, shut up," Jetfire said leaning down to Simmons."I told you I was opening a space bridge, it's the fastest way to travel to Egypt."

_Egypt!_ Rachel thought.

"What? When did you...When did you tell us? You didn't tell us anything! You didn't tell us anything! Why are we in Egypt!" Sam yelled, angry.

"Don't you get snippy with me, fleshling! You were duly informed!" Jetfire said sitting down on the rock.

Rachel decided at this point Jetfire had to be ADD or something. One minute he talking the next he's opening a space bridge and transporting you to Egypt.

"Can you just stop for a second? Can you focus? Can you tell us why we're in Egypt, so we can all have a bit of semblance and peace of mind?" Sam said in a level tone.

Jetfire started to get up.

"This planet was visited by our race once before, by our earliest ancestors, millennia ago. They were on an exploratory mission to harvest Energon, the life blood of our race. Without it we'll all parish, oxidize and rust, like my wretched self!" Jetfire said. "Do you have any idea what it's like to slowly fall apart and die!"

Rachel rolled her hand, trying to hurry Jetfire, but it was clear, he was in no hurry.

"Let's not get episodic, okay, old-timer?" Simmons said.

"Beginning, middle, end. Facts. Details. Condense. Plot. Tell it," Simmons said making various hand motions to emphasize his point.

"Somewhere, buried in this desert our ancestors built a great machine, it harvests Energon. By destroying suns," Jetfire said looking up at the Sun.

"Destroys suns?" Sam asked.

"You mean blow 'em up?" Leo said.

"Yes, you see in the beginning, there were seven Primes, our original leaders. And they set out in the universe, seeking distant suns to harvest. The Primes set out with one rule, never destroy a planet with life, until one of them tried to defy this rule. And his name forevermore was the Fallen," Jetfire said.

He held up his hand, creating a hologram image showing a Transformer that must have been the Fallen. He was still in a Cybertronian form, so Rachel guessed it was before they started to scan cars and such.

"_He despised the human race, and he wanted to kill you all by turning on that machine,_" Jetfire narrated.

Rachel saw a massive metal Cybertronian-looking machine. The image changed and Rachel saw seven Cybertronian figures standing over a piece of metal that was in a twisted shape and had a blue middle that was glowing.

"_The only way to activate it is with a legendary key called the Matrix of Leadership,_" Jetfire said.

Then the glowing piece of metal -that Rachel thought was very beautiful, if you could describe it that way- floated to the Fallen, who grabbed it. The image changed to many Cybertronian figures fighting each other on the desert around the machine.

"_A great battle took place over possession of the Matrix_. _The Fallen was stronger than his brothers, so they had no choice but to steal and hide it from him,"_ Jetfire narrated as Rachel saw the seven Primes stabbing the Fallen with their metal-rod weapons and grabbing the Matrix.

The image changed again to the seven Primes standing on a ledge on mountain in the desert.

"_In the ultimate sacrifice, they gave their lives to seal the Matrix away, in a tomb made of their very own bodies,"_ Jetfire said.

The Primes huddled together, melting together, and an explosion followed. The Primes had disappeared and only rock remained.

"_A tomb, we cannot find,"_ Jetfire finished.

The hologram ended and Jetfire turned back to them.

"Somewhere, buried in this desert, that deadly machine remains. The Fallen knows where it is, and if he finds the tomb of the Primes, your world will be no more," Jetfire said.

"Well, that's encouraging," Rachel stated sarcastically.

"Okay, so how do we stop him?" Mikaela asked.

"Only a Prime can defeat the Fallen," Jetfire said.

Sam looked at him curiously, "Optimus Prime?" he said.

Jetfire leaned all the way down, looking Sam in the eyes.

"So you've met a Prime? Why, you must have met a great descendant, is he alive, here, on this planet?" Jetfire asked excitedly.

Sam looked downcast, "He sacrificed himself to save me," Sam said.

"So, he's dead. Without a Prime it's impossible, no one else could stop the Fallen," Jetfire said, Rachel thought he sounded sad as well.

Now Rachel really missed Optimus, she looked at the ground, so many things had gone wrong. Then she looked at Sam and she could almost see wheels turning in his head: he had an idea. She hoped it was a good one.

"So, the same energy that's gonna be used to reactivate the machine, could that energy somehow be used to reactivate Optimus, and bring him back to life?" Sam said.

Rachel's eyes widened and suddenly her optimism rose, it _was_ a good idea!

_Now only if it works, though, don't get your hopes up_, she thought to herself.

"It was never designed for that purpose, but it's an energy like no other," Jetfire said looking at Sam.

"So, then how do you get us to the Matrix before the Decepticons get to me?" Sam asked.

"Follow your mind, your map, your symbols! What you carved in the sand, it's your clue. When dawn alights the Dagger's Tip, Three Kings will reveal the doorway!" Jetfire said.

Rachel repeated that in her head, so as not to forget it, it was a riddle. Riddles weren't always easy for her, and this one was just...

"Find the doorway! Go now! Go! That was my mission. It's your mission now. Go before the Decepticons find me and find you," Jetfire said shooing them away.

Rachel followed Mikaela, Leo, and Simmons down the rock, trying not to fall, she could hear Sam behind her. They all found Bumblebee and the twins parked not far away -as cars- and got in.

As they were driving Simmons called someone on a phone. Rachel was again in the backseat between Leo and Mikaela. There wasn't really a road, just a wide flattened line on the sand that was much like a dirt road. Simmons ended the call.

"Okay, so here's what my CIA contact says. Ancient Sumerians used to call the Gulf of Aqaba the 'Dagger's Tip'," Simmons said.

"So, that's the Dagger's Tip," Sam said.

"It's part of the Red Sea, it divides Egypt and Jordan like the tip of a blade. Twenty-nine-and-a-half degrees north, 35 east, here it is," Simmons said showing Sam a GPS.

Now things started to make sense to Rachel, they had to go to this place to figure out the rest of the riddle. However, she was still confused on how Sam wanted to pull this all off.

"First thing we've got to do is get Optimus to the Dagger's Tip," Sam said as if reading Rachel's mind.

"How are you gonna get him halfway around the world?" Leo asked.

"I'm gonna make a call," Sam said looking at Rachel.

Rachel smiled, knowing what he meant.

"I think I can help with that," she said.


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I've been writing/typing DOTM more now...so here's a chapter for ya'll :) Almost to the end...well I guess in some way, but in others..you know what nm, just- here's the chapter...**

**Chapter 9**

Sirens blared, making Rachel jump, she turned in the seat looking to the side of them.

"We got cops!" Sam said.

Bumblebee and the twins dodged the cops, swerving to another road.

"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed.

"I can't go to prison, guys," Leo said.

Bumblebee and the twins drove into a small town, down a cement road. The cops were right behind them.

"Sam, we got to get off this road and lay low," Simmons said.

Bumblebee sped to an isolated place and all of them jumped out. He transformed along with the twins and grabbed Skids, hauling him up a wall. Mudflap held onto the wall next to them.

"Man, stupid cops," Skids groaned as Bumblebee held him upside-down.

"This is what's called blending in like a ninja," Mudflap said.

"Shut up or I'll blend my fist in your face," Skids groaned.

Rachel looked to where Mikaela had put on a headdress, covering her face.

"They're gone," she whispered to them.

Rachel turned back to Sam.

"Okay, we're running out of time, I gotta make the call to Lennox-" Sam said.

"You're on the Worldwide Wanted List, try calling one base, they'll track you here in seconds. CIA's all over this place," Simmons cut him off.

"You're gonna call," Sam said.

Simmons looked back to Sam in shock, he shrugged.

"Okay, that's a good idea," Simmons said.

"All right," Sam said.

"I mean I just had my mind on other things... like winding up in Egyptian prison," Simmons said walking.

Sam signaled to the Autobots to wait there and Rachel followed him to where they had seen a phone booth earlier.

Rachel ran up to the phone booth and got out her cell phone. She entered Lennox's number into the phone and then handed it to Simmons. Simmons waited a few minutes and then started to talk.

"Lennox, I'm with the kid. The kid. You know, the one with the attitude, right? We need to the truck. The truck. We got a possible resurrection going on over here. You're not gonna believe where we are. Code, Tut, as in King Tutankhamen, back of a one dollar bill. Coordinates for air drop, 29.5 north, 34.88 east. Okay? Write it down, write it down. Oh, my God, I got to go, okay? Heat comes," Simmons said quickly hanging up the phone as someone ran at them.

The phone fell off of the wall, making a little too much noise.

"Wait, it's me, Leo. Leo. Leo. Leo, cops are coming right now, we need to go!" Leo said.

Rachel looked at him with wide eyes.

"Shit," she muttered.

They ran back to where Bumblebee and the twins were, and climbed in Bumblebee. Bumblebee sped off without any of the cops noticing

They drove down a road that ran through the middle of the desert. Rachel kept looking back to make sure no one was following them.

"Okay, let's go over it again," Sam said.

"When the dawn alights the Dagger's Tip..." Simmons and Sam said together.

"The Three Kings..." Simmons said.

"Will reveal the doorway," Sam finished.

"That's what he said," Simmons said. "You know what it means?"

"No, what does it mean?" Sam asked.

"I have no idea," Simmons said.

"Oh, my God, oh my, God, checkpoint, checkpoint," Leo said. "I don't have my passport."

Rachel rolled her eyes, this guy _really_ annoyed her. She had to remember to get Ironhide to ruffle him up a bit when they got back. Bumblebee pulled right up to the pole blocking the road, the twins stopping behind him.

"They got cameras at the top," Sam said.

Rachel looked at the white cameras at the top, if she could somehow hack them from the top...

_No, that wouldn't be good, or smart for that matter,_ she thought.

"Alright, chill. This is espionage now, I can handle it these are my people, I'm one-thirty-sixth Arab," Simmons muttered.

A man walked down the stairs from a watch tower, when he reached the floor Rachel almost burst out laughing.

"Oh, great, a fricking Munchkin," Wheelie said. "Little people are mean, tell him he's tall."

Rachel watched as the man ran a finger over Bumblebee, making a really annoying squeaking sound.

_Oh, man, I'm glad Bee is less defensive than Ironhide, I doubt his finger would still be intact after doing that to a certain Topkick,_ Rachel thought.

The little man said something in Arab to Simmons and Simmons replied with another Arab word.

"The Dagger's Tip? Right? Egypt, Jordan, we want to go there," Simmons said slightly accenting his voice. "Me and my family, this is my family, this is my son, my other son, my daughters. We're tourists, from New York."

"New York!" the little man exclaimed.

"Yes. Yes," Simmons said.

Rachel couldn't believe this was working, Simmons had his ways sometimes.

"Fifty kilometers," the little man said pointing down the road.

"You look like the guy that runs my falafel stand, thank you very much," Simmons said. "I know. I know you from somewhere."

"Go Yankees!" the man yelled.

The bar rose up, letting Bumblebee continue down the road.

They got to where they need to go, and then Bumblebee and the twins transformed as the climbed a hill. Rachel ran after everyone else, the Autobots behind her.

"Undercover, yo, you gotta blend in with your surroundings. You know, you gotta be part of the landscape," Skids said.

Rachel looked back as Bumblebee walked right into Skids, knocking him down. She suppressed her laughter and kept running. Sam ran up to the doors of a building resting at the bottom of a pyramid. He pushed the doors open, Rachel ran after Mikaela into the building.

"Guard us, low profile, don't make a scene okay?" Sam said to Bumblebee and the twins as they transformed.

"Yeah! Some of us got work to do! Dumb Autobots," Wheelie grumbled.

As the Sun set Rachel found a place in the building to sleep. She hadn't slept since Ironhide had brought her to Sam. She sat down, extremely exhausted, she lowered herself to the cold floor, hoping to sleep before tomorrow. It wasn't the longest she'd ever gone without sleep, but it still made her tired. She watched as Sam and Mikaela made their way out onto a balcony on another floor. Rachel closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep. This time, her nightmares hit her again.

Ironhide got up,limping,and joined the remaining Autobots. Tears flooded Rachel's eyes.

"Ironhide! Don't go! Please! Ironhide!" Rachel screamed.

Ironhide turned to face her, she was glad he was okay, but she didn't want him to go.

"Rachel, we got what we came for, I have to go," Ironhide said.

"Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Rachel cried.

Ironhide looked just as hurt as she did.

"Rachel," Ironhide said.

Rachel wiped the tears from her eyes as Ironhide walked away with the other Autobots. She stood there, watching them as the transformed and drove away. She thought she'd never see them again, taking her pocket knife from her jacket pocket and a beautiful, thick-banded silver ring; Rachel carefully gouged that symbol she would never forget into the ring's band, hoping to never forget the ones who saved her life.

"Simmons! Leo! Rachel! Wake up!" Sam's voice jolted Rachel from her dreams.

"My ring!" Rachel exclaimed looking down at her finger.

There was a tan line around her left index finger from where she had worn that ring everyday, never taking it off.

_So, how did I lose it?_ Rachel thought.

Rachel got up and went over to where Sam had run up the stairs with Mikaela.

"What? What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

Leo and Simmons were sitting together, using the same space to sleep.

"Listen, astronomy class, page 47. Remember the class?" Sam said to Leo.

"No, no, I was only in college for two days, remember that?" Leo said.

"Here. Get up. Up, up," Sam said.

"Sam, what is going on?" Rachel asked following him out onto the roof.

When she walked outside the Sun was barely rising, and music was playing in the distance.

"Okay, you see those three stars?" Sam asked pointing at the sky. "You see how the last one touches the horizon? That's Orion's belt, but it's also called the Three Kings."

Rachel looked at the stars, they had been there all along, their clue was right in front of them.

"And the reason for that is that the three Egyptian kings who built the pyramids of Giza, built them to mirror those stars, so it's like an arrow staring us straight in the face," Sam said.

"They all point due east, toward Jordan, the mountains of Petra," Simmons said.

They found Bumblebee and the twins and climbed in Bumblebee. Bumblebee drove after hearing Simmons tell him where to go. They drove for a while, down a road running through the desert -much similar to the first one. Then, Bee pulled off the road and drove as far as he could before it was impossible to pass with a car. Everyone got out as Bee transformed, the twins following close behind. They walked through the uneven terrain for a while, Rachel concentrating on not twisting her ankle or breaking her leg.

"It's gotta be around here somewhere," Simmons said looking at his GPS.

Rachel nearly ran into the back of Sam, as he stopped suddenly. Rachel followed Sam's gaze to a giant building carved into the rock on the face of the mountain. Rachel followed Sam as he walked toward it.

"You see the size of this?" Simmons said.

"Spectacular," Skids said walking up behind them.

"Amazing, look at that," Simmons muttered.

The doorway of the building was five feet off the ground, so Rachel had to pull herself up to the doorway, Sam helping her up. She turned around and grabbed Leo's hand as Simmons boosted him up. Leo helped Mikaela and then Simmons up.

Sam looked around the small space inside the building.

"It's gotta be here somewhere, guys," Sam said.

Rachel looked hard, but there was nothing to see, the area was no bigger than thirteen feet long in any direction. It was a small, squared space of nothing.

"Yeah, why?" Leo asked. "'Cause we're trusting Grandpa Blackbird who doesn't even know what planet he's on?"

"In his defense, this is the biggest doorway I've ever seen in my life," Simmons said.

"Okay, well, that's great. Let me do a quick search, all right?" Leo said turning in a circle. "Uh, nope, ever cross your minds, guys, that archaeologists have been here before? There's nothing here."

"It's not about _looking quickly,_ Leo, its about knowing _what_ you're looking _for,_" Rachel said angrily.

"Real life is heartbreak, despair, kid, sometimes you get to the end of the rainbow and the leprechauns went and booby-trapped it!" Simmons said, also angry with Leo.

"I'm listening to you? You live with your mother," Leo said back.

Rachel didn't even believe herself, though, if there was nothing here, then this had all been for nothing and there was nothing they could do to bring Optimus back.

"It's not over," Sam mumbled from where he was sitting on ledge.

"It is over, it's done," Leo said.

"Why are we still listening to your little punk-ass?" Mudflap said. "I mean, what you ever done for us, besides ding my rim?"

"Killed Megatron, how 'bout that?" Skids shot back.

The twins faced each other.

"Well, he didn't get the job done, you know what I mean, 'cause he's back now..." Mudflap said throwing his hands in the air.

"You scared!" Skids taunted.

"Scared! Scared of your ugly face!" Mudflap said shoving Skids.

"Hey! Hey!" Sam yelled.

"I'm ugly? Well, we twins, you stupid genius!" Skids said rushing Mudflap.

They pushed each other around.

"Bring it, then! Get off me!" Mudflap yelled. "I'll change your face around!"

Mudflap pushed Skids, tossing him in the air.

"Oooh, I'll get all up in that ass!" Skids said landing and turning around to grab Mudflap.

"Bring it!" Mudflap said grabbing Skids.

Skids grabbed Mudflap, throwing him into the wall behind where Sam was sitting.

"Whoa! Guys!" Sam exclaimed running.

"You like the way that feels!" Skids taunted.

"That didn't hurt!" Mudflap said getting up.

"You like that, don't you?" Skids taunted.

"I'm getting up!" Mudflap said.

Then Rachel realized Skids had his back to Bumblebee. Bumblebee grabbed Skids from behind.

"Come on! Bumblebee!" Skids said.

Bee grabbed Mudflap as he tried to jump on Skids.

"Bumblebee, listen!" Mudflap said.

Bee hit the two together and then threw them back out of the doorway. Rachel laughed as Skids landed on Mudflap, Bee had shown them he wasn't playing around.

Rachel turned back to see if Sam was okay, and he jaw nearly dropped. Where Skids had thrown Mudflap into the wall, the wall had cracked and dented in, as if it were hollow. They _had_ done something good! Rachel ran up to it as Simmons pulled off a piece of the broken wall. Sam and Simmons cleared away the broken pieces of the wall, revealing what appeared to be metal fingers behind them. Rachel's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face as she saw the Primes' symbols.

"Oh, my God, the symbols," Sam breathed, tracing the symbols with his finger.

Sam turned around, "Bee!" he called. "Shoot it."

Rachel and the others cleared away as Bumblebee walked toward the wall, his hand transforming into his gun. They huddled outside the doorway as Bee shot the wall, Rachel could hear from the blast. When they thought it was safe to go back, Rachel pulled Sam up and over to where Bee had shot a small hole in the wall, clearing the metal blocking the path. Sam turned on a flashlight Simmons gave him, and pointed it through the hole. Rachel looked through the hole and then climbed through.

"Rachel!" Sam exclaimed.

"Sam, how else do you think we're going to find the Matrix? It's not just going to float to us from inside here," Rachel said taking out her flashlight.

The cave like place was immense, it stretched out hundreds of feet in all directions, including up. When Rachel looked up she nearly jumped, it was a giant Transformer -in Cybertronian form- leaning over. Then she cast her eyes around, there were at least six more just like it, in various positions all around the cave. In fact, the cave was made _from_ their bodies

"These are the bodies Jetfire was talking about," Sam said quietly.

Mikaela, Simmons, Leo and Sam had all joined Rachel in the cave with their flashlights.

"The tomb of the Primes," Simmons said in amazement.

"Yo!" Simmons yelled, his voice echoed through the cave. "Yo!" he yelled louder.

Rachel smiled at Sam, but they still needed to find the...

Rachel's thoughts stopped dead as Sam gawked at something, she followed his gaze. There, in the giant palm of one of the bodies, laid the Matrix. The shape of the matrix reminded Rachel of the symbolbut its ends were pointed and it was wider at the middle where it was glowing blue, and overall more complex. Rachel smiled as Sam knelt down in front of the Matrix. They had found it, now all they needed was Optimus and everything would be the way it should be again. Everyone stood around the hand that held the Matrix watching as Sam put his hands on either side of the beautiful creation.

"The Matrix," Sam whispered.

Sam gently started to lift the Matrix from its resting spot. Rachel held her breath waiting for something to happen, but when it didn't she let out her breath. But she did so too soon, a couple seconds later the Matrix crumbled into dust in Sam's hands. Rachel's eyes widened and she was filled with despair, this _had_ all been for nothing.

"No," Sam breathed picking up some of the dust, letting it run through his hands.

"Thousands of years, turned to dust," Simmons said.

"This isn't how it's supposed to end," Sam whispered.

The noise of airplane engines filled the air.

"Hear that?" Simmons asked.

"U.S Air Force! C-17s!" Simmons voice echoed back as he ran outside.

"What's a C-17?" Leo asked following Simmons out.

Rachel looked back at Sam, he was right, this _wasn't_ how it was supposed to end, but it had and now Rachel didn't know what they were going to do.

"You can't bring him back, Sam, there's nothing left," Mikaela said her eyes glazed with unfallen tears.

Rachel's eyes were the same way, mostly because she wanted so bad to bring Optimus back.

"Look! Look around you, we didn't just go through everything we went through for no reason at all, to just have it end like this. There is a reason that we are here, the voices and the symbols in my head led us here for a purpose," Sam said to Mikaela.

Sam took off his sock and knelt down in front of the pile of dust that had been the Matrix. Sam started to gather the dust and put it in his sock.

"Everyone's after me because of what I know, and what I know is that this is going to work," Sam said.

"How do you know it's going to work?" Mikaela asked.

"Because I believe in it," Sam said.

Rachel ran with Sam and Mikaela out of the cave and then out of the entire building. As Rachel ran across the sand she saw Simmons and Leo standing on top of a giant outcropping of rock up a hill of sand.

"Sam!" Rachel heard Simmons yell.

Rachel ran up the sand hill and to where Simmons and Leo stood.

"You think you can bring him back to life with that pixie dust?" Simmons asked.

"Absolutely, let's go," Sam said walking by Simmons without stopping.

**Yay! The Matrix! XD...well this scene just make my liking for the twins deeper, I don't care what other people say about how they are "offensive" (don't ask) I think they are just funny:) Anyway, lots happens in this chapter, well I guess one major thing: they find the Matrix! Bad thing: it denigrates:( I think, though, I have a feeling that it ain't over :D**

**New chapters coming soon...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sooo, happy late-ish Valentine's day3 The journey for our characters continues. So much craziness in this chapter...anyway here it is Chapter 10...getting closer to the end**

**Chapter 10**

Bumblebee drove down the road that eventually led to a small village Simmons had said he'd seen the NEST team parachute in on. Suddenly a flare shot up over the village.

"That's them right there, see the flare?" Sam asked.

"Right over there, see it!" Simmons said.

Then, as if things couldn't have gotten worse, Rachel looked to the sky.

"Oh, God, no!" Rachel screamed as missiles streaked from the skies hitting beside the road.

"Whoa!" Sam exclaimed.

The missiles bombarded Bumblebee and the twins, forcing them to pull off the road. They pulled down into a construction area, trying to escape the missiles. The missiles still came at them, blowing sand everywhere.

"Oh, God, please, God please!" Leo cried.

"Leo, stop freaking out, stop freaking out," Mikaela said.

"Shut this guy up, huh?" Simmons said.

"Please, just let me live, just let me live!" Leo cried.

"Shut up and let him drive!" Rachel said.

"Just stop screaming..." Sam said.

"All right, that's it!" Simmons said drawing out his taser.

Rachel pushed herself against the back of the seat as Simmons reached across and tased Leo on the neck. Leo passed out and Rachel sighed, glad to have silence.

"I can't take that guy anymore," Simmons said.

Suddenly Rachel saw Starscream flying at them, he transformed and stood to the side of Bumblebee, as Bee sped away, shooting at them. Sand blew up everywhere as the missiles struck beside them.

_Wow, Starscream, you have horrible aim, but I'm glad,_ Rachel thought.

"Hide in the dust! Use the dust!" Simmons said.

Bumblebee and the twins drove into the giant explosions of sand, losing Starscream. Bee drove past the sand, then pulled to a stop. Sam opened the door and he, Rachel and Leo -who had woken back up- climbed out of Bumblebee.

"We've got to split up. Bumblebee, you're the decoy, you lead the Decepticons away. I'm gonna get to Optimus," Sam said.

"I'll help draw their fire with Huey and Dewey over there," Simmons said jerking his thumb to the twins. "You get to those soldiers. I hope that dust works, kid."

"Thank you," Sam said.

Sam and Mikaela started to run.

"Sam! I'm coming with you!" Rachel called.

Sam stopped, "No, Rachel, its..."

"I'm coming! Okay, it was partially my fault Optimus is dead, I'm coming!" Rachel yelled running to Sam.

Sam nodded.

They ran for a mile or so until they came up to a sand overhang. Flares flew up from a village that wasn't extremely far away.

"Look, there it is, we got a couple miles," Sam said.

He pulled Mikaela after him, Rachel following shortly behind. They ran for another couple of miles, Rachel was getting tired, but she didn't slow down. Adrenaline was keeping her from dropping to the sand, but she doubted it would last for too long. They were approaching a few scattered buildings made of stone, but it wasn't the village that NEST was at.

"We still have a mile that way," Sam said.

They ran down the sand dune they had been crossing, into one of the ruined stone buildings. They came to a courtyard in the building, Sam hesitated for a second, looking where to go. Rachel caught her breath for the second they stopped, and then Sam pulled Mikaela on again Rachel following.

"This way, this way," Sam said.

They ran into another building and then something streaked through the sky above them. Rachel instinctively ducked, looking up.

"Oh, no," she groaned.

It was that same meteor-like object she had seen many times, but this time she knew it was a Decepticon, definitely not help. She heard others like it fly through the sky as she ran. They ran into another village, Sam stopped behind a building, looking around the corner. Rachel heard the sound of a jet, and had a feeling it was Starscream.

"Sam, Rachel," Mikaela whispered, opening a door to a house.

Sam and Rachel got inside and shut the door behind them.

"I don't think they saw us," Sam whispered. "Get down, get down, get down."

Rachel crouched down, hoping to avoid being seen, Mikaela did likewise beside her.

"Okay, listen," Sam whispered. "Once it's clear we'll run for Optimus, as fast as we can, okay?"

"What if it doesn't work?" Mikaela asked.

"It's gonna work," Sam said.

"Yeah, but what if it doesn't?"

"It's gonna work, it'll work," Sam insisted.

A loud blast sounded outside. Rachel flinched, ducking back down. She could hear heavy, metallic footsteps outside. She clamped her hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the sound of her labored breathing. Rocks crumbled from the ceiling, whatever was walking outside was over them. Sam looked through a hole he had poked in the wall with the rusting remains of a sword. He jerked back and picked something out of the hole. As he turned Rachel saw a little bug bot between his fingers. It squirmed, trying to get free of Sam, but before it could Sam pulled its head off. Suddenly the roof was torn off. Rachel and Mikaela screamed, covering their heads with their arms. All three of them back against the wall and looked up, it was Starscream. Starscream reached out at them, and they backed up even more. He swiped at them, missing, but collapsing the wall behind them. They all fell backwards to the ground.

"Up, up, up!" Sam yelled.

He grabbed Mikaela and Rachel, helping them to their feet. They ran up stairs leading out of the building, another Decepticon stood to the side of that. Rachel ran in front of Mikaela, Sam behind Mikaela. Something slammed across the stairs behind Sam. They came to the end of the roof, and a huge gap separated them from the next building.

"Get ready to jump!" Sam said.

"Jump?" Rachel exclaimed.

Sam pulled both of the girls back, they ran and jumped as Starscream shot the building behind them, dust billowing up behind them. Rachel landed and rolled on top of the next roof, she didn't stop at the end of that one though. Mikaela rolled into Rachel, pushing both of them off the roof to the ground. They crashed through a makeshift roof made of palm leaves covering an alley. Sam dropped beside them. Sam immediately got up and pulled Mikaela and Rachel along with him.

They ran over another sand dune, it seemed like NEST was a lot further away than it had seemed at first.

"Sam!" the call came from around a building.

Rachel stopped beside Sam, shocked. It was his parents running toward them, Rachel wondered how they had gotten there.

"Dad!" Sam called back.

There was an odd noise, Rachel and Sam both looked in the direction of it. Suddenly a Transformer jumped over the building, landing next to Sam. Rachel dove to the side, away from it a shot hit beside her.

"Wait! Wait!" Sam yelled.

The Transformer was red, and its legs were a giant drill. It pointed a gun at Sam's parents, who were cowered on the ground.

"Please, listen to me, I want you to run! Run!" Sam's dad yelled.

"Dad, Dad, just stop! They don't want you, they want me!" Sam yelled.

"Wait!" Sam yelled at the Transformer, which Rachel could bet was a Decepticon.

"Sam Witwicky," the Decepticon rumbled.

"Don't hurt them, this is what you want, you don't want them," Sam said pulling out his sock filled with the Matrix dust.

"Go! Go!" Sam's mom yelled at Sam.

"Stop!" Sam said to his parents.

"Just get out of here!" Sam's dad yelled.

Rachel looked up to see a yellow leg behind where she had fallen. It was Bumblebee, he was in the alley next to building, hiding. Bumblebee whistled quietly, Sam turned to see him.

"Just don't hurt them. I know what you want," Sam said to the Decepticon.

"Just go! Just go!" Sam's dad yelled.

"And I know that you need me, because I know about the Matrix," Sam continued.

"Don't do it, Sam!" Sam's dad yelled.

"Please, Dad," Sam said.

Rachel looked back at Bee as he climbed onto the roof of the building.

"They're gonna kill us all anyway!" Sam's dad yelled.

"Here's what you want right here," Sam said.

The Decepticon whipped the ground with a belt containing bullets.

"Bumblebee!" Sam yelled.

Bumblebee jumped from the roof, kicking the Decepticon down. The Decepticon hit Bumblebee a few times. Sam backed up away from the fighting. Bumblebee flipped on his battle mask.

"Kill him, Bee, kill him," Sam said.

Bumblebee turned, punching the Decepticon, dodging an attack and then kicking the Decepticon. Bumblebee dodged another attack, and then jumped on top of the Decepticon, grabbing its face, and then standing on it as it fell to the ground. Bumblebee jumped off of the Decepticon, kicking its arm. They fought each other back and forth for a minute before something jumped from behind the building shooting at Bee. Bee made distressing sounds as the tiger-looking Decepticon jumped on him. Bee recovered quickly from the surprise attack and pulled the Decepticon apart, turning to punch the other Decepticon. Rachel crawled over to where Sam, Mikaela and Sam's parents crawled together. Rachel watched as Bumblebee jumped over the Decepticon. He grabbed the Decepticon by the arms from behind, and kicked its body away from its arms, snapping them off. The Decepticon fell, not getting back up. Bee turned to them, his battle mask retracting.

"Bee?" Sam said.

"Yeah," Bumblebee said.

They all ran between the building, getting out of the open.

"I don't know what's going on, but we gotta move!" Sam's dad yelled.

An explosion hit behind them, and they ran forward, Sam's mom screaming.

"There's gotta be a way out of here!" Sam's dad said an explosion hitting in front of him making him turn.

"Against the wall! Against the wall!" Sam yelled.

Rachel pressed herself against the wall next to Mikaela as explosions hit everywhere.

"Bee! Bumblebee!" Sam yelled.

Bee appeared at the end of the alley by an arch, he looked around for danger. He looked at Sam.

"You get them somewhere safe, alright?" Sam said.

Bee nodded. Sam leaned over his dad who was leaning on a car parked there.

"You've got to get in the car and get to safety," Sam said.

"No, no, this isn't up for discussion!" Sam's dad yelled. "You're my son! You're my son!"

"I know," Sam said. "Dad..."

"We'll all go together," Sam's dad said.

"Listen..." Sam tried to say.

"We're all going together!" Sam dad yelled.

"Dad, stop, okay? Get in the car, he's gonna get you to safety. You know, you run, you don't stop, you don't hide, you run. You hear what I'm saying? I'll find you when you're safe," Sam said.

"No," Sam's dad said.

"You've got to let me go, Dad," Sam said. "You have to let me go."

"Ron, Ron, Ron, let him go, let him go," Sam's mom said.

"You come back!" Sam's dad said.

Bumblebee pulled up as Sam's parents ran up to him.

"Go with my parents," Sam said to Mikaela and Rachel.

"I'm not going to go without you," Mikaela said.

Sam knew better than to argue, Rachel nodded. She wasn't going to abandon them now. They continued to run.

They ran for a mile or so and then hid behind a building. Rachel's eyes widened at what she saw ahead of them.

"Ironhide!" she called.

The Arcees were with him.

"Spotted Sam," one of them said.

Ironhide turned, "Hey! Sam!" he called.

"Ironhide!" Sam called.

One of the Arcees drove up to them. Rachel was never so glad to see Ironhide in her life, it meant they didn't have to fear being shot at. Rachel knew Ironhide would do anything to protect her and now Sam.

"Follow us to the pillars, we'll take you to Optimus," the Arcee said.

As soon as she had finished a shot came from somewhere and she was thrown down. Ironhide shot the Decepticons that were over-taking them. He was taking on some pretty bad shots as well.

"Ironhide!" Rachel cried out, but she knew he could take care of himself.

"Get out! Get to the pillars!" Ironhide yelled, returning fire.

"Let's go!" Sam said pulling Mikaela and Rachel behind him.

Rachel was reluctant to go, she wanted to make sure Ironhide would be okay, but she knew she had to go.

**Like I said, craziness... we see Bumblebee ninja-mode(wish I could portray half the coolness of movie, but sadly words aren't as good as Hollywood CGI) Sam's parents kidnapped and used for ransom against Sam(and man does he have faith that the Matrix dust _just_ might work)... one thing, though, Ironhide and Arcees could have finished off the 'cons and transformed back into their truck/motorcycles and it would have been much easier than Sam and Mikaela running on foot through -and I quote- "the middle of a war-zone." Chapter 11 coming soon...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ok, now we def close to the end. More craziness in this chapter, ooh and to any Trekkies reading this I am working on a Star Trek fanfic as well, this makes like three fanfics Im working on at a time XD Honestly, I rly dont have as much time as youre prob thinking...anyway chapter 11 here it is..more craziness in three..two...one...**

**Chapter 11**

As they got closer to NEST the explosions and gunfire got dense. There were Decepticons everywhere on the side Rachel, Sam and Mikaela were running. Rachel couldn't see NEST yet, but she could see their return fire hitting the Decepticons. They ran out of the other side of the cluster of pillars. Sam started yelling and waving his jacket as they ran, trying to get NEST's attention.

Sand blew up from every angle as a massive explosion came from behind them. Rachel could no longer tell Autobot from Decepticon. She ran, that was the only thing she was focused on. Run. That one word held so much power. Sam and Mikaela ran next to her, hands locked together. As another explosion hit and NEST returned fire, Rachel, Sam, and Mikaela dove to the ground for safety. Rachel soon saw Lennox running to them. Sam got up on his knees yelling, trying to get the attention of the soldiers. As Lennox and the soldiers flanking him got closer, Sam crawled, pushing Rachel and Mikaela ahead of him. Lennox and the soldiers ducked behind a building that was nothing but two walls now.

"Rachel, Mikaela!" Lennox yelled, motioning to them to join them behind the walls.

Rachel was the first to run from where they were to Lennox. Once she was behind the walls she pivoted, pressing her back against the blue wall. Mikaela ran behind the wall after Rachel, and then Sam ran after her.

"Come on! Get in here!" Lennox said.

"Oh, look who showed up," Lennox said. "You better have a good reason for us to be here."

"Where's Optimus?" Sam asked.

"He's right over there, across the courtyard," Lennox said pointing to where Optimus laid covered by a parachute.

"I got to get to him right now," Sam said holding up his sock that held the Matrix dust.

"Not with an air strike coming," Lennox said.

"I have to get to him right now," Sam repeated with force.

"Guys," Rachel whispered to them, pointing up.

Over them loomed a big Decepticon with shields, firing at NEST and then retreating behind the shields.

"Whoa, whoa," Epps -who Rachel had just noticed was standing with them- said backing up.

"Go, back, back, back, back," Lennox said pushing them back.

"Where's Ironhide when you need him?" Rachel moaned.

"Where's any Autobot when you need them?" Lennox said.

They retreated to the corner of the walls, taking cover from the Decepticon.

"Listen up..." the Decepticon said firing at NEST.

Rachel looked up, seeing as the Decepticon wreaked havoc on NEST. There was clicking like metal, like a Transformer transforming and shout of "Incoming!"

"And stick the landing!" came Jetfire's voice, he rolled getting back up.

Rachel looked up in shock as Jetfire approached the Decepticon with an ax.

"Behold the glory of Jetfire!" Jetfire said slicing the Decepticon in half with his ax.

Jetfire picked up the upper half of the Decepticon and slammed him into the walls. Lennox seemed shocked next to Rachel, and she remembered: he'd never seen Jetfire before.

"Now, let me show you how brought the pain in my day!" Jetfire said stepping on the Decepticon's head.

Rachel cowered by Lennox, she heard sand rustling and then something jumped over the wall at Jetfire. The scorpion-looking Decepticon attacked Jetfire, Jetfire grabbed the Decepticon pulling it away from him. Then the Decepticon got out of Jetfire's grasp and attacked him again, wounding Jetfire. Jetfire fell down and the Decepticon came after him again.

Jetfire smashed the Decepticon's head in with his fist,"I'm too old for this crap," Jetfire muttered.

Rachel stayed close to Lennox as he and Epps prepared their guns.

"We're gonna make a break through the B's on my command, okay?" Lennox said. "You guys stick with me, you understand, you stay on my ass."

Rachel nodded, taking in every word Lennox said. She felt like she wasn't in her body, like she was looking down on this happening, not living it. It felt unreal, but Rachel knew it wasn't.

"I hope these F-16s got good aim," Epps said.

"Yeah, why is that?" Lennox asked.

"I told them to hit the orange smoke," Epps said.

Rachel's eyes widened as she saw orange smoke swelling up beside them. Lennox dropped his shoulders, he barely looked to the side.

"You mean that orange smoke?" Lennox asked, criticizingly.

"It wasn't my best toss, okay?" Epps said.

Rachel looked at the ground, shaking her head. Lennox and Epps looked at each other.

"_Viper, Thunder,_" came over Epps and Lennox's radios.

"Run!" they both yelled.

All seven of them -including the two soldiers who had accompanied Lennox and Epps- ran for all they were worth. Behind them jets dropped explosives, demolishing the Decepticons.

"Come on!" Lennox yelled.

Soon, Rachel heard metallic footsteps behind them, she turned her head to see Ironhide running after them. After that, she just focused on running. As they were running, Sam suddenly broke away from the group, Rachel was on him in an instant.

"Sam!" Lennox yelled.

"Sam! You dumb-ass!" Rachel yelled, running after him.

She had suspected he would try something like that, he was desperate to revive Optimus -if it even worked- even if he was in danger. Rachel disregarded her own safety, trying to catch up with Sam, wanting to push him to the ground where they would be safe. As Rachel was running she heard heavy footsteps behind them -not really expecting it to be Ironhide, who she had seen running after Lennox and the others- she turned.

"Oh, crap!" she screamed seeing Megatron running after them.

"Sam! Sam, stop! Sam!" Rachel screamed, but she knew Sam couldn't hear her.

"Die!" Megatron said firing a shot at them.

The shot blasted Rachel forward and she blacked out.

When she woke a few seconds later she was lying on her back in the sand, her left arm bent at an odd angle. She knew it was broken.

Her head was spinning, and she could feel blood running down many places on her body.

_Sam!_ she suddenly thought.

He had been running in front of her...running to Optimus. Rachel shifted so she could look ahead of her. When she saw what was ahead of her, her heart sank. Rachel looked in horror as she saw Sam was sprawled motionless on the sand.

"SAM!" Rachel cried, but her cry was off because she couldn't hear herself, the blast had screwed up her hearing.

Mikaela ran and dove to the ground next to Sam, Lennox was right behind her. Lennox yelled something that looked like "get back" at Mikaela, throwing her gently off of Sam. Lennox started pushing on Sam's chest, doing CPR. Mikaela yelled something at Lennox, tears streaming down her face. Rachel's hearing came back, and she could hear the sound of helicopter blades slicing through the air. She lifted her head to see a red and white medic helicopter fly overhead. Rachel then looked back to Sam, Lennox and Mikaela were looking at each other their faces both showing the same expression: they were scared, scared for Sam. Tears filled Rachel's eyes, her friend had died right in front of her and she couldn't do anything to help.

The medic chopper landed and soldiers jumped out of it, running to Sam.

"You gotta move. You gotta move,come on," Lennox said to Mikaela, pulling her away from Sam.

Rachel saw Bumblebee off to the side, watching, but he was on his knees. Rachel wanted to be able to comfort the young Autobot, but seeing as she couldn't move without passing out, she didn't.

"Clear!" she heard from one of the soldiers.

She turned back to look as one of the soldiers shocked Sam. Nothing happened.

"Do it again!" Lennox said, still holding Mikaela back.

Tears ran down Rachel's face and into the sand as they shocked Sam again and still nothing happened. She looked at Lennox, who's face was also showing his sadness, but Rachel knew he wouldn't cry but he looked just as close as you could get.

"No!" cried Mikaela crawling back to Sam as Lennox let go of her.

The soldiers had either paused on shocking Sam, or given up, Rachel couldn't tell. Her own pain was escalating, her arm filled with stinging pain and blood running down various cuts and gashes. She hardly cared, her friend was dead and nothing was working to bring him back. Mikaela was leaning over Sam, crying and saying something to him, but Rachel could hardly hear.

"...Sam, please! I love you!" she heard Mikaela yell.

Rachel's tears doubled, too many minutes had passed. Sam was gone. Without him two of her friends had died, Sam and Optimus both. Her hope of ever bringing Optimus or Sam back vanished in the next minutes.

Just as Rachel had given up hope, Sam gasped, jerking awake. Rachel gasped as well, happiness taking over her. As Mikaela embraced Sam, Rachel saw the Matrix dust -which had fallen next to Sam- stream together, reforming the beautiful creation. Sam started to get up, he grabbed the Matrix and started to make his way to Optimus. Rachel bit back a scream of pain as she shifted, propping herself up on her right elbow. She held her breath as Sam climbed up on Optimus. If this didn't work, nothing would. Soldiers were also gathered around, watching. Sam came over Optimus' chest and stopped. With a wild yell Sam held the Matrix above his head and drove it into Optimus' chest. Optimus' body jerked as if he'd been shocked and a sharp humming filled the air. Sam looked just as shocked as Rachel, who let out her breath. A smile crept over Rachel's face as Optimus began to move. Everything was going to be fine.

**Yay! Optimus is alive! Like I said craziness, Sam dies for a bit but the power of the Primes brings him back..sounds like a disney movie XP Too bad I cldnt have used the scene w the primes cause I liked it but there was no way Rachel could have been tied to that... anyway, rly rly close to the end now...like a few chpts I think...so chapter 12 comin your way soon, I'm getting pretty far into DotM now.**

**Live long and prosper..**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yeah, so, I guess I lied about having more chapter_s, _I'd forgotten that there were only 12 chapters in rotf...sorry XD Anyway, this is the conclusion to our epic story...for now... **

**Chapter 12**

Sam climbed off Optimus as he slowly started to get up. The parachute flew off of Optimus.

"Boy, you returned for me," Optimus said to Sam.

Even if she'd wanted to stop, the smile on Rachel's face wasn't going to move.

"A living Prime!" Rachel heard Jetfire exclaim from where he had fallen earlier. "I don't believe it!"

Suddenly an odd noise came from above them. Rachel looked up, Ironhide had noticed too, he was aiming his cannons at the sky, looking unsure where to fire. Then the sound came again and something blasted right next to Optimus, throwing him down before he could even get up. Rachel ducked down on the ground, covering her head with her good arm.

"My Matrix," she heard a voice say.

When she looked up the Fallen was standing over Optimus, the Matrix floating into his hand. He forced Optimus down under his foot and teleported away. Rachel raised herself up again.

"Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!" Sam told Optimus.

Optimus groaned.

"Get up, Prime!" Ironhide called getting up himself.

The rest of the Autobots rose to their feet, all except Optimus. Optimus seemed to weak to get up. He came to position much similar to Rachel's, using his arm to push himself up.

"He's turning on the machine! You gotta stop him! Get up! Optimus!" Sam yelled to Optimus.

Rachel started to panic, try as he might, Optimus couldn't get up, he was too weak.

_And if he's too weak to even get up, then we're screwed, he won't be able to defeat the Fallen like this,_ Rachel thought.

She still disagreed with Sam yelling at Optimus, though, it wasn't his fault.

"Enemy target, top of pyramid. Engage! Engage! Engage!" Rachel heard Epps say into his radio.

The soldiers still able to fight ran, and the tanks started aiming and shooting for the pyramid. Rachel's attention turned to Jetfire, who had limped over to them.

"All my Decepticon life, I've never done a thing worth doing until now," he said with a hint of self-amusement. "Optimus, take my parts and you will have a power you've never known."

Optimus seemed to know what he was implying, and inclined his head, eyes fixed on Jetfire. Rachel had no clue what was going on, and judging by the looks on everyone else's faces, neither did they. Only the Autobots seemed to know, Ratchet walked closer to Optimus and Jetfire, seeming to know something.

"Fulfill your destiny," Jetfire said pulling something from his chest.

Immediately, Jetfire collapsed to the ground. Rachel looked curiously at the orb-like object in his hand, and only one conclusion came to her: his spark.

Ratchet came up on the other side of Jetfire.

"Jolt! Electrify!" Ratchet said to the blue Autobot.

Jolt shot a metal wire-like cord at Optimus from one hand, and another at Jetfire from his other hand.

"Transplant those afterburners," Ratchet commanded.

Electricity sparked from Jetfire and Optimus, racing through the two cords, passing through Jolt harmlessly. Suddenly, the parts forming Jetfire flew through the air at Optimus. They hit him, transforming into a part of him. The parts covered Optimus' regular body, forming a sort-of armor. It was hard for Rachel's already blurry mind to process what was going on. The wings and engine's from Jetfire attached onto Optimus' back and a gun formed over his arm. By the time all of the parts had covered Optimus, he was standing.

"Let's roll," Optimus said shooting off from the ground.

Rachel smiled as Optimus flew toward the pyramid with his new parts.

"Fire mission on the pyramids!" Lennox yelled running with the rest of the soldiers.

Rachel watched as military jets flew toward the pyramid, but she also saw rocks floating in mid-air around the top, one jet flew into a rock, exploding. The other two passed on the other side. Then she saw Optimus fly to the top of the pyramid, he tackled one of the Decepticons off at the top. As he was falling off the other side, he shot the sun-destroying machine, making it explode. Optimus and one of the Decepticons tumbled down the side of the pyramid, the other Decepticon -who may or may not have been Megatron- tumbled down the other side. Rachel lost sight of them soon after.

Minutes that -with Rachel's ever rising anxiety- seemed like an hour passed before she saw Optimus walk out from behind a gigantic Sphinx statue. He dropped the parts he had acquired from Jetfire and stood there, watching.

_He was obviously victorious, then_, Rachel thought, not seeing Megatron or the Fallen anywhere.

She couldn't be sure though, until Optimus came back. Sam and Mikaela held each other in a hug not far away from Rachel. Rachel smiled, everything had turned out alright, the machine and -she could only guess- the Fallen had been destroyed, Optimus and Sam were both alive, and things couldn't have been more right. For a second, Rachel enjoyed a warm feeling coursing through her as relief hit her, and then it ended. All of a sudden she felt dizzy. A large gash on the front of her thigh -that she had ignored before- started to bleed profoundly, darkening her near-shredded jeans. She looked down at her leg in horror, a small course in anatomy in her heath class made this moment horrifying, she knew what was going to happen.

"Oh, shit," she muttered.

"Ratchet!" Rachel called feebly her energy already sapping.

The medical officer had already been walking to her, she knew he had probably already noticed before she had.

"Rachel!" Ratchet said alarmed as Rachel slumped backward.

"Ratchet..." Rachel said but it came as a whisper.

Rachel fell on her back, her eyesight blurring. Her eyelids started to close and everything went black.

Rachel felt odd, she couldn't feel her body, not even her broken arm, but her mind raced.

_Is this what Sam and Optimus felt like?_ she wondered. _Your body separated from your mind. _

_Am I seriously dead? Oh, God, I hope I am because if I wake up Ironhide's going to kill me anyway for scaring him to death. I really don't want that,_ she thought jokingly.

_Please don't let me be dead, not after this. Too much is like it's supposed to be again, I don't want to ruin it. Please, I've already lost one friend -briefly- today, I don't want to lose them all._

She concentrated hardly on that thought. She had to be alive, she had to be. She thought this to herself over and over.

Rachel's eyes snapped open, and she gasped, her body jerking. Pain shot up her left arm and up her leg, pain she gladly welcomed. The second thing she realized is she was lying on a bed.

_A bed? How the-?_

She looked around, her thoughts stopping as her eyes fell on Ratchet. They were in a gigantic tent, and Rachel was surrounded by other beds filled with soldiers injured in the battle. It then hit her, she was in a makeshift hospital for the people injured in the battle.

_Duh,_ she mocked herself.

"Rachel," Ratchet said.

The tent was also big enough for him to fit, surprisingly. Rachel smiled.

"What'd I miss?" she asked.

"Rachel, you nearly died," Ratchet said.

"Yeah, I thought so, how did you know that I was injured before I did?"

"I could smell the blood."

"Out of the others that were also bleeding?"

"Yes."

He amazed Rachel, and she was glad that he had known.

"Did you?" Rachel asked motioning to the white bandage wrapped tightly around her leg.

"No, I did not. Those soldiers did stitch you up, no need to worry," Ratchet said. "They are very good at their jobs."

"Yes, but not as good as you," Rachel said noticing her left arm was in a cast.

Ratchet smiled, Rachel knew he would never admit it, he was too humble.

"Ironhide was worried about you, very worried, it took Optimus coming over here for him to stay away," Ratchet said with a bit of amusement.

Rachel laughed, "As was expected?"

"Yes, I knew he'd be worried about you."

"Where is he, by the way, because I know he won't be far away," Rachel said.

Ratchet motioned to her to get up. Rachel swung her legs over the side of the bed cautiously and followed Ratchet to the entrance of the tent. As soon as Rachel stepped foot outside the tent she was picked up from the ground.

"Ironhide, careful," Ratchet scolded.

Rachel laughed, a smile spreading across her face.

"I wasn't going to hurt her, Ratchet," Ironhide said.

"Ironhide," Rachel laughed.

"You scared me, Rachel," Ironhide said.

"Payback," Rachel chimed.

"We're still on that?" Ironhide said.

"Well, now we're even, so, no," Rachel said.

"You look horrible," Ironhide said looking at her torn and dirty clothing .

"We just went through a war, for God sakes!" Rachel exclaimed, some what amused. "Now, put me down."

"No," Ironhide said.

"Down! Now!" Rachel demanded.

"Ironhide, she needs to go, put her down," Ratchet said.

Rachel smirked.

"Fine," Ironhide huffed.

He put Rachel down, and she turned to face him.

"I'll be fine, I promise," Rachel said.

"I'll take care of her, Ironhide," Ratchet said.

"Good," Ironhide said walking away.

Rachel laughed, following Ratchet back inside the makeshift hospital.

That night Rachel was released from the makeshift hospital. She walked out, and walked out to the edge of the tents, looking at the desert. For a few minutes she took in the beautiful landscape. So much had changed since she had first met the Autobots. They had changed her once-boring life into something better. Sometimes bad things, horrible things, did happen, but Rachel wanted to focus on the positive for now. Optimus and Sam were both alive after everyone -including herself- thought they wouldn't be. The world seemed right again, but now Rachel knew it wouldn't last, it couldn't.

_But for now it is,_ she thought.

Rachel heard something behind her, she turned. She looked up at the Autobot leader.

"Hello, Optimus," Rachel smiled.

"Hello, Rachel," Optimus said.

Rachel looked up at him, smiling, "I'm really glad you're okay."

"I'm glad to see you're all right, too, Ratchet told me what happened," Optimus replied.

Rachel sighed, "Yeah, thanks."

Rachel looked out across the desert. Optimus stood silent behind her, she had a feeling he was also looking at the desert. After few minutes Rachel finally couldn't take it any longer.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said, keeping her gaze fixed on the desert.

"For what?" Optimus asked.

"I can't help but feel...what happened was my fault," Rachel said, unsure of how to put it.

Even with her odd wording, Optimus understood what she meant, "Rachel, the fault was my own, not yours or anyone else's."

Rachel was silent for a minute.

"Thanks," she sighed, "I needed to hear that."

After hearing from Optimus it wasn't her fault, she felt a little less like it _was_ her fault.

Optimus nodded, "Go, rest, tomorrow we are leaving."

Rachel smiled, "Good night, then," she said walking away.

The next morning they -humans and Autobots- all had boarded an aircraft carrier and were heading back to the U.S. Rachel watched as Optimus walked up to Sam who was looking out over the ocean. Rachel stood in front of Mikaela and Leo, who stood together behind her.

"Thank you, Sam, for saving my life," Optimus said his words carrying in the wind.

"You're welcome, thank you for believing in me," Sam replied.

Rachel smiled as Optimus stood beside Sam, facing the ocean with his hands on his hips. Everything was how it should be, in Rachel's view, and to her it didn't matter how long it lasted it was worth it to enjoy the present and not worry about the future, for now.

**Yaaaay its over, right? Lol, yeaaaah so Rachel almost dies(shocker? not really) and everything is balanced again for now. The twins -center of controversy- were initially pulled from the end of this movie and DotM :( Apparently they were "racist", "offensive", "rude", etc. personally I don't really see what was wrong with them, I thought they were pretty funny and brought a light side to dark parts of the movie, but hey thats my opinion, Mr. Bay didn't think so either, but they were eventually removed. I am a good 9 chapters into DotM and am a little more than half-way into the movie, so I'll be uploading the first chapter tonight or tomorrow. See you!**


End file.
